What Happens in Vegas?
by fithola
Summary: What happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas? Wrong. Find out what happens when Rick's and Michonne's world collides in the city of Sin? AU: No Zombies/ Walkers.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I've been writing for a while now but this is my first stab at fanfic. Please feel free to leave a comment, I would love to know your thoughts. Thanks - Fithola**

 **What Happens in Vegas?**

 **Chapter 1**

Sleep weighs heavily upon Michonne. Her body feels lethargic with the lull of drowsiness. Her muscles completely relax. Her breathing deep and easy, peaceful. She blinks and pulls her eyelids open, the bright sun blinds her vision. She silently curses the sun's brightness with a lazy smile fluttering across her lips.

Michonne closes her eyes and tries to get her body to corporate. She needs to get up.

 _Why?_ Comes the thought.

 _Bathroom, you need to pee._ Her bladder protests. Another smile crosses her lips at her inner self talk.

She slowly begins to stretch her muscles and with each movement she felt the soreness in her arms, back….

 _What did I do last night_? She thinks.

She feels the soreness in her calves, in her thigh and then slowly the familiar sweet ache at the apex of her thighs.

Michonne's eyes shoot opens.

She knows what that ache means. She clenches the muscles at her apex, a delicious pleasure courses through her – the remnants of a night of – the bed shifts and a heavy arm drapes across her waist. The muscles on the arm flexes and it pulls her closer to the body the arm is attach to.

"Mmmm." Comes a deep moan.

A solid body presses up against her. He is warm and smells faintly of sandalwood and vanilla; his intoxicating scent causes her mouth to water.

Michonne's heart triples its pace. Her mind snaps awake as she tries to figure out how she ended up in this man's arm.

"Mmmm." Another deep moan. He presses harder against her. Her mind doesn't remember him but her body does. As if on que, she feels her apex contract with need, her nipples hardens and her mouth waters for another taste of him.

 _Another taste?_

He peppers light kisses on her shoulder pulling her against him, she feels his hardening length and has to catch the moan before it escapes from her lips.

 _Distance._

She needs distance from this man in order to think. To think clearly, organize her thoughts and retrieve fragmented memories from the night before.

She moves away from him but he tightens his hold.

"Bathroom." She croaks.

Another kiss grace her shoulder before his arm loosen its hold on her. Michonne slowly pulls away, she wants to glance back at him but fear and shame keeps her eyes downcast. Pulling the covers as she moves to the edge of the bed, she spots a tee-shirt. Quickly picking it up, she drops it over her head to give her naked body some coverage. Once covered she leaps out of the bed and race towards what she hope is the bathroom.

Michonne lucks out, it is the bathroom. She closes the door and locks it soundly. With her back press against the door, Michonne tries to get her thoughts in order.

First: her bladder.

She moves to the toilet to relieve herself, sitting down she relax her muscles and tries to piece together what happened.

Las Vegas.

She is in Las Vegas. A girls' weekend with her best friend Maggie, her cousin Sasha, Sasha's friend and roommate Tara, as well as Michonne's co-worker and close friend Andrea.

It started out well, they arrived early Thursday and spent the day sightseeing; that night was spent at one of the infamous Vegas shows and walking the Strip. Friday was more sightseeing, an early lunch followed by a nap then a rendezvous at the hotel pool. That's when everything went downhill.

Andrea.

 _Fucking Andrea. This is her fault._ Michonne thinks.

Michonne makes a mental note to kill her when she sees her.

Andrea started flirting with a guy sitting in the cabana next to theirs; soon Sasha joined the conversation, quickly followed by Tara. The guy asked the girls to join him, stating his buddies were going to be joining him soon. Michonne disagreed but Andrea eagerly agreed and the others followed suit.

Michonne tugs on her memory cords trying to remember his name: Shane? No.. no… that is his friend. The one who shamelessly flirted with Andrea. The girls sat with Shane in his cabana for ten minutes before a couple of his friends joined him. A tall foul mouth red-head, Abraham and a scrappy quiet fellow with kind blue eyes, Daryl. Introduction were passed around as the two fellows settled in.

Michonne and Maggie decided to wade in the pool with the man made wave that passed across the waters of the beach looking pool.

She enjoyed playing in the pool alongside Maggie. They jumped and caught the wave along with nearby children for half an hour before deciding to rejoin their friends.

She remembered when everything changed, walking out the pool and up towards the cabana, she noticed another man had join the fray. Shane nodded in their direction and the man turned around.

Blue eyes locked with hers.

Eyes the color of the cloudless desert sky. Eyes the color of the cool waters she just emerged from. He smiled and Michonne melted. His name: Rick Grimes.

A knock jolts Michonne from her memories.

"Michonne?" a gruff voice calls out.

"Just a minute," she replies. She wipes herself, stands, and flushes. She ambles to the sink and begin the process of washing her hand. Glancing in the mirror she looks like a woman who has been fucked properly all night. She can feel it all over her body. The faded touches still causing her body to hum with pleasure. She groans and tries to think how she's going to get herself out this mess as she turns on the faucet. She starts washing her hand and freezes as she glance down to see what adorns her left hand.

With mouth wide open she stares at the two carat cushion cut diamond ring on her ring finger. A halo of smaller diamond surrounds the bigger diamond; a diamond that winks at her with a mischievous glint. Michonne quickly washes her hands and turns off the faucet before rushing to the bathroom door. Snatching it open with the purpose of giving this man a piece of her mind, demanding to know the details of the previous night and why she has a diamond ring on her left ring finger.

When the door swings open, Michonne isn't expecting him to be standing so close to the door. He smiles down at her with warm azure eyes sweeping across her face.

"Good Morning… uhhh… afternoon, Mrs. Grimes." A southern drawl says wrapping around her and caressing her needy apex with less than six words.

 _Oh gawd._ Michonne thinks.

He leans down, placing a kiss on her lips before he moves deeper into the bathroom. Michonne stumbles out into the room as she realize his intention, giving him some privacy and needing to add space between her and this man, Rick.

Stumbling into the room Michonne looks around and notices two things, first it isn't her original room and second the place is a mess. Copious amount of champagne bottles are scattered around the room; along with trays, plates, various half eaten food, and clothing.

They made a proper mess of the place. She reaches and plucks her bra off a lamp near the bed.

Flashes of the previous night assaults her senses. His fingers. His tongue. His harden length stroking her slick inner walls leading her to unknown level of ecstasy.

Her screams. His moan. Her begging for more and him granting her wishes.

 _Oh gawd, did we use protection?_ Michonne thinks.

Her eyes dart around the room in search of any evidence of protection. Consume by her thoughts she doesn't hear him exit the bathroom.

Michonne feels his strong arms wrap around her waist. He presses her against his chest, leaning down and showering her neck and shoulder with kisses enhance by the scruff of his beard. Michonne feel his desire hardening, pressing heavily against her lower back.

"Rick." She tries to say it with a strong conviction meant to stop him but it flutters out of her mouth a moan.

One hand snakes up under the shirt she wears, his shirt. It crawls over her flat stomach up to squeeze one breast then crosses over and squeeze the other before pinching her nipples gently. His right hand fall and land between her thighs, digging into her now slick folds. A finger gently caress her swollen button. Michonne knees buckle as she moans again.

"Rick." Her voice singing with her need.

His hands retreat as he spins her around and lifts her, causing her legs to wrap around his waist. His lips take her, his tongue sweeps against her lips and Michonne opens her mouth to allow him access. His deft tongue seduces and subdues hers. She moans against the welcome assault.

Michonne is lost in the kiss. Her body cries out with need. She know she needs to stop this madness and ask him what happened. Why she does she have on a diamond ring? How did she end up naked in his bed? Did they use protection? What happened to their friends? Do they know where she was at?

None of those questions matter.

All that matter is Rick's lips on hers. Tasting him and feeling his warm calloused hands caressing and touching her body in places she never knew needed to be touched.

They fall against the bed and quickly discard the minimal clothes they wear, her shirt and his boxers. He starts to trail kisses down her neck and chest, Michonne stop his administration. There will be time for more of that later.

 _Later?_ She thinks. _Yes, later._ Now, she needs him inside her.

Cerulean eyes locks knowingly with hers. He blankets her with his body, aligning his harden length with her quivering opening and pushes in.

Michonne grasps, opening her legs wider allowing him better access. He slowly pushes his entire length in and pauses, allowing her time to get accustom to his length as he places soft kisses along her neck.

The feeling of being complete full is overwhelming, Michonne rotates her hips beneath his, wanting and needing to feel him move inside of her. Rick gets the point and start the slow and tortuous love making. His thrusts are deliberate and measure, pulling out slowly and pushing back in deeply. Michonne begs him to go faster but he keep the slow pace. Michonne goes mad beneath him, her climax wavering at the edge.

"Please… oh gawd, Rick. Please… harder!" Michonne cries out. Rick chuckles near her ear as he continues to rain kisses along her neck and shoulder.

Michonne's toes curl, she wraps her legs around his thigh and madly thrust up to meet his own slow administration. Her hand snakes between them, wanting to rub her clit to relieve some of the pressure but he knocks her hand away.

"Not yet," he growls in her ears. Michonne whimpers and moans.

Rick increase the speed of his thrusts and Michonne feels her climax draw closer. He switches the rotation of his thrusts and slows down pulling Michonne away from her release.

She is wild and curses him. He laughs in her ear as Michonne groans with the ecstasy of the mounting pleasure.

When the pleasure become too much for him, he starts to steadily increase his thrusts. He shifts slightly and lifts Michonne's hip. On his next thrust in, he hit a spot Michonne never knew she had. She screams out his name and arch her back as her eyes roll to the back of her head. Her orgasm rushes toward her like a canon. Rick continues to drum on the spot until Michonne goes stiff in a violent tremor, her climax seizing her. The scream is caught in the back of her throat, unable to speak she make unintelligent sounds as she squeeze and gush around his length.

Rick moan in her ears, calling out her name. His thrusts are now frenzy, he embeds himself deeply within her hitting her spot once more as he releases his essence deep within her. The feel of him inside her causes another orgasm to rip through her body, this time she call out Rick's name.

Michonne jolts awake. She looks around the room wildly and spot Rick lying next to her, the sheet bunch around his waist. It wasn't a dream. Michonne silently leaps from the bed and stares from her own nude body to his.

Only one thought presses heavily on her mind. She needs to gets out of here.

In the dark, Michonne finds her clothes. She slips into the bathroom to clean herself off and get dress. Once her tasks is accomplish, she retrieves her bag, phone and any other items before she starts quietly towards the door.

She freezes mid-steps when she hears a loud snore from Rick. Glancing over her shoulder she waits. He inhales deeply and turns onto his side but doesn't wake.

Michonne slips out the room and exhale, a wave of relief and guilt stabs at her chest. She's confuse by the heavy feeling weighing her down as she starts down the hallways away from Rick Grimes, away from her husband.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you all so very much for reading and leaving comments! I appreciate all the thoughts and feedback.**

 **This chapter is Rick's POV of waking up in Vegas! More to come and soon! - Fithola**

 **Chapter 2**

Rick is aware he's alone as soon as he wakes. Rolling over, he touches the spot where she should be but finds it empty. The side of the bed cool, evidence she's been gone for a while.

Hauling himself upright on the bed, he takes in his surrounding and notes his hotel room is a mess. He's going to have to pay the extra fee for the destruction him and his wife caused but knows it was worth it.

A smile pulls at his lips as he thinks of his wife, Michonne.

Her enticing flawless dark chocolate skin. Her thick dread locks framing a heart shape face. Her luscious lips. Her almond shape salacious deep brown eyes. Her graceful long neck and regal shoulders. Her curvy slim body with a narrow waist and an ass… Rick stops his thoughts, he can feel his loins stirring at the thought of her, his wife.

Michonne Grimes.

"Michonne Grimes," he says out loud enjoying weight of it against his tongue and the sound embracing his ears.

The smile widens for a brief moment before it starts to slip away as he thinks of how she left in the middle of the night. Leaping out of bed, Rick starts his search of the room; hoping perhaps she left to go get breakfast and will make a speedy return or at the very least left a note of some kind.

After searching the entire room, disappointment races across his chest when he finds nothing. All of her belongings are gone, a sign of her departure and there's no note or message of her parting. The loss is sudden, a wound pulling open at the center of his chest. Feeling as if a piece of him missing, he stumbles and sit on the edge of the bed.

 _Maybe, I should let her go._ He thinks. After all she did leave him in the early hours before dawn without a goodbye or a note.

Rick thinks back to those deep brown eyes and their first time meeting.

Las Vegas.

He didn't want to come to the dirty noisy neon city in the middle of the desert. He wanted to go his cabin near Jasper and spend the long weekend hunting. Instead, he allowed Shane to talk him into coming to Las Vegas for a guys' weekend. Rick could not have been happier with the decision.

He makes a mental note to thank Shane the next time he sees him.

Rick, Abraham, Shane, and Daryl arrived in the City of Sin, late Thursday evening. After checking into their rooms and cleaning up, the men went to dinner then hit the tables before Rick and Daryl were dragged to the famous Sapphire. At Sapphire Rick split his time at the bar near the entrance of the establishment and keeping tabs on Abraham and Shane. Somehow Daryl slipped them and had already returned to the hotel to play the penny slots; Rick wished he thought to do the same instead of babysitting his friends at the gentlemen club as he fought off advances from the women who worked there.

Friday was spent reciprocating from the night before with the day starting in the early afternoon. A late lunch, another rounds at the black jack tables happened before Shane lead the charge to the pool.

He was delayed joining his friends at the hotel pool cabana due to his conversation with his son, Carl. Checking in on the teenager and his baby sister, Judith; making sure the two were enjoying their stay at his mother's home in Savannah. Enjoying catching up with his children, Rick lost track of time. He didn't spend much time away from them and when he did, he missed them dearly; he knew they were safe and being spoiled by his mom but he was already looking forward to returning to them.

When Rick finally joined his buddies in their rented pool side cabana, somehow he wasn't surprised that they were joined by three women. A brunette with a friendly smile, Tara. A caramel skinned woman with wild curly hair, Sasha, and a blonde with blue eyes that seem to be caught on every word that Shane said, Andrea.

Shane made the introduction, Rick greeted the women and made polite conversation but didn't intrude any further than with pleasantries. Abraham was flirting heavily with the brunette, Tara, but the young woman seem more interested in Sasha's and Daryl's conversation about breed of dogs and which one they owned.

Already bored, Rick was getting ready to make a sneak escape and return to his hotel room when Shane pointed behind him stating the rest the women's other friends were coming. He turned to see the women approaching and locked eyes with the most beautiful pair dark brown eyes he has ever seen.

In that moment, everything changed.

A smile crossed his lips. She smiled in return and the world fell away. It was only the two of them.

Everything he wanted was there within that smile.

Her friend said something, pulling her attention away from his. He seized the moment allowing his eyes to roam over her body. Flawlessly smooth dark chocolate skin covered her body and contracted beautifully against the white two-piece bikini. What looked to be chainmail connected the two pieces, draping across her flat and muscular mid-section causing her to look like a seductive warrior goddess.

Her white top covered her breast but a swell of dark brown flesh peaked over the top of the bikini. As she walked closer, Rick noticed her harden nipples pressing against the bikini top. Rick licked his lips the need to taste her caused his hands to tremble; he pulled his eyes back up to her lovely face. Her dark eyes locked upon his; he wanted to stare within her salacious brown sphere forever.

Shane and the blonde woman, Andrea, made the introduction. Rick noted her friend, another brunette who smiled gently at him, Maggie but his focus remained on her.

Michonne. Michonne Grimes.

Rick couldn't just let her go, especially now that he just found her.

He takes a moment to think, trying to chart the best course of action to take. Picking up his cell phone, he dials the number to airport. Several minutes later he is connected to the airline she used. After another thirty minutes of laying down his southern drawl thickly and concocting a story that he needs details regarding his pregnant wife's flight; Rick is able to drags out information from one of the airline personal that Michonne boarder a flight bound for Atlanta at 8:30am.

Glancing at the bedside clock, he notes it is a little pass 10am. Checkout of the hotel is at noon. His flight home to Georgia is at 2pm. By the time he's boarding his flight, she should be at her home in Atlanta.

Rick set towards the bathroom to shower and get ready for his trip home, determine to find his wife.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"YOU DID WHAT?" Andrea yells.

"Hush!" Michonne says rushing towards her office doors, she glances outside into the hallway before pushing the door shut and turning to face Andrea.

"YOU DID FUCKING WHAT?"

"Don't yell at me."

"Wait… wait… I am trying to understand this… you went to Vegas and did the most cliché thing anyone could possible do."

"I know… I know," Michonne says plopping down in one of the two arm chairs situated in front of her desk. She leans her head back against the seat and looks up at the ceiling with her arms spray across the arms of the chair.

"Michonne… I don't get it. You are one of the most sensible…intelligent… pragmatic person I know. I mean… this is some shit I would do."

"I know… I know."

"This is really fucking irresponsible as well as fucking stupid and –"

"I KNOW!" Michonne snaps, sitting straight up in the chair. Andrea looks at her, eyes wide but says nothing. Michonne sighs, her shoulders slump against the chair as she looks back up to the ceiling. "I'm sorry…. It's just…"

Andrea move towards Michonne, taking a seat in the chair next to hers then leans toward her friend placing a gentle hand on her bare knee.

"I already heard it all from Maggie and I am pretty sure Sasha will say the same thing so please… please just spare me the lecture."

"Maggie didn't take it well huh?"

"You… you should understand. You've been around –"

"Hey!" Andrea cuts her off as she playfully hits her best friend on her knee.

"You know what I mean. Maggie is such a southern bell and so traditional which is not a bad thing but she… I don't ever think I heard Maggie drop so many f-bombs in one sitting, hell in one breath. You would have been impressed."

"Fuckin' A," Andrea says with a chuckle.

"I just thought you would be more understanding."

"I am… I understand… it is just I am surprised, I never expected something like this from you… this is more my style."

"I know," Michonne says softly chortle, "Imagine my surprise when I saw the ring on my hand. I swear I almost had a panic attack then I got angry and was ready to cuss his ass out but…"

"You ended up fucking him?"

"Multiply. Times."

"Fuckin' A," Andrea says clapping and laughing. She sobers up and leans close to Michonne as is she's telling her a secret, "So how was it?"

"What?"

"The sex... how was the sex?"

Michonne toss her head back and groans.

"That bad?" Andrea asks.

"Bad?" She repeats, sitting up again and looking into her friend's blue eyes, "That good. That great… the fucking best."

"Better than –"

"The. Fucking. Best."

"Fucking shit." Andrea says with wide eyes and matching smile. After a silent moment, Andrea speaks up again, "Can I see it?"

"What?"

"The ring."

Michonne bits her lower lip. On her return flight to Atlanta, she realized she still wore the ring. She should have left it with him, with Rick when she snuck out the room during the early hours of dawn but she forgot. It wasn't until this morning, riding up in the elevator that she realized she never took it off. It felt so natural having the ring on, it seemed as if it always been on her finger. Once she realize she didn't want to spend all day explaining the ring, when the entire office knew she was single, Michonne regrettable took it off.

Pushing herself to her feet, she ambles toward the back of her desk. Pulling one of the drawers open, she takes out her purse, and removes her wallet. Zipping her wallet open she removes the ring and holds it out to Andrea.

"HOLY FUCKING SHIT!" Andrea shouts, her eyes goes wide as she takes the ring from her hand. Michonne's heart aches as it starts race at an uneven pace while watching Andrea with her ring.

"Did you help him pick it out?"

She shakes her head no. "We were Cartier in Caesar Place, I was looking at watches to buy for my father's birthday and I guess he was looking at rings."

"He did a great fucking job. Fuckin' wow… this must be worth at least ten thousand."

"Ten thousand _dollars_?" Michonne gasps.

"A two and a half carat diamond ring from Cartier… yes at least ten thousand _dollars_ ," Andrea comments examining the ring, "What does he do? Is he rich?"

"I don't think so… he's a sheriff in a small town about an hour away."

"Fuck he must be loaded because… fuck… this ring is amazeballs."

"Shit... give it back… I don't want anything to happen, especially if I am going to give it back to him."

Andrea hands Michonne the ring back and the ache in her heart ease a little as the racing beat slows to a normal pace. Michonne fights the urge to put the ring back on her finger, instead she slides it into her wallet and then into her purse.

"You're giving it back?"

"Of course… I can't keep it."

"Says fucking who?"

Michonne only gives Andrea an incredulous stare. Andrea rolls her eyes as she plops down in the guest chair of Michonne's office.

"When did this even happen? Was it just the two of you? Where was I? Fuck, I would have paid good money to have been at that wedding."

"Yes, it was just the two of us," Michonne murmurs, the image of their impromptu wedding flashes across her memory. Her short simply white dress, his crisp white shirt with the blue tie that caused his eyes to glow. Their vows and promises: 'for better or worse', 'forever and always'.

She shakes away the memories, "It happened Saturday night and I if recall properly you were busy yourself buried under Shane."

A slow smile creeps across Andrea's face, she nods her head and licks her lips as she recalls her own eventful weekend, "Yea…Shane… He buried his-"

"Please! Spare me the details!" Michonne says holding up her hand. Andrea chuckles pushing herself to her feet, she moves to stand next to Michonne at her desk.

"So what's the plan?"

"I am going to get an annulment. It is the sensible thing to do. This… this was a mistake," Michonne says trying her to believe the words coming from her lips.

0000000000

Shane couldn't stop laughing. Abraham couldn't stop cursing. Daryl sat quietly watching the two men and Rick's distress. He's not surprise at his friends response to his news of marrying Michonne in Las Vegas. He just wish they would be more supportive.

"You are a stupid fuck," Abraham says as he ends his tirade.

"I just… I… I just didn't expect this… this is… this is some shit…" Shane can barely speak over his eruption of laughter.

"Shit you would normally do?" Daryl finish for him.

He sobers at the thought, "Actually fuckin' yea."

Abraham shakes his head as he starts on another tirade, Shane continues his laughter.

"You don't have anything to add to this?" Rick asks Daryl.

"Nah, man," Daryl says, after a few seconds he adds, "I think it's romantic."

Rick grins at Daryl's confession, "Really?"

"Yea... y'all been in the same state…what two… maybe three counties from each other for most of y'all lives. Even work with law enforcement, may have even crossed paths a coupla times and it takes y'all to travel across the country to finally meet. I think it's romantic."

Rick smiles wider. He didn't think of it like that, he just knows Michonne is the one for him and that somehow they are meant to be together.

"Fuckin' Dixon. Didn't peg you for a romantic," Shane comments his laughter subsiding.

"I'm just saying maybe this is kismet," he replies with a quiet shrug.

"You are a stupid fuck," Abraham repeats, "You really want to do the entire marriage thing again, especially after the cluster fuck of Lori? After what that bitch did?"

"Hey…respect her, she's still the mother of my children."

"Rick, the brute has a point," Shane says, "Why put yourself through that again?"

"She's not Lori… she… this… this is different."

"I don't care how good the pussy may be… After Rosita…. I ain't never getting married again."

"If I recall you were ready to marry that girl from Sapphire," Daryl comments.

A deep blush crosses Abraham's face before his brows draw together in an angry scowl.

"Yea… but I didn't because I ain't a fucktard who got pussy drunk and decided to marry a woman after knowin' her fo a day!" Abraham spats.

"We actually didn't have sex until after we got married," Rick confess.

"No fucking way… You're such a good ol' boy… I fuckin' can't with you…" Shane says as he starts to roar with laughter again. He bends over and holds his stomach as tears leak from his eyes from the force of his laughter. The ruckus he makes causes several men to curiously look in their direction.

"You're a fuckin' idiot when this shit bends you over and fucks you like a goat up the ass don't say I didn't tell you so," Abraham says digging out two twenties from his wallet and tossing it onto the table. He finishes his beer, slams down the mug, and leaves the table without another word.

"What's his problem?" Daryl mumble.

"He's still… still butt hurt over the ass… the ass fucking he got from Rosita during the divorce," Shane is able to get out during his fits of laughter.

Daryl only shakes his head but adds nothing. Rick sips his beer, undeterred by Abraham's unwarranted anger and Shane's laughter. He has made his decision.

"Well Michonne ain't Rosita or Lori," Rick says with conviction.

"So you gonna try to make it work?" Daryl asks.

"Yeah."

"Really?" Shane asks, his stream of laughter dying down.

"Yeah," Rick says with a nod, "I wish I could better describe it to you all but like I said, this… she is different."

"What if she doesn't want to make it work?" Shane asks a question that Rick's been fearing may be true since he woke up with her gone.

"Then I'm gonna fight for the both of us until she realizes what I already know."

"Remembering her… this may be a long ass battle," Shane comments.

"I'm ready for it."

"Well… I'm with you man. Just tell me what you need," Daryl adds.

"Same here man… we got ya back," Shane agrees and then adds with a chuckle, "And if this shit doesn't pan out, at least you'll have a good ass story to tell Carl about the woes of Las Vegas."

Rick is thankful for his friends. He gives each man a head nod as they clink the beer bottle together. The thought of what if Michonne doesn't want him creeps into his mind giving him doubts but he remember what Daryl said, they are kismet.

 **A/N: Stay tune! Next Chapter Rick and Michonne are reunited for the first time after their visit trip.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hello all! Thank you so much for your support! I'm gushing over all the reviews! I love the insights and the support is always appreciated! So without further ado... here we go! - Fithola**

 **Chapter 4**

The office intercom buzz, static wavers through the receiver before the person on the other end speaks.

"Ms. Carter?"

"You can call me Michonne," she says to her temporary assistant.

"Uhh… ok… Ms. Michonne?"

"Yes?" She replies not bothering to look up from her case deposition.

"There is a guest here to see you."

Michonne glances at her calendar, her appointment book clear for the afternoon.

"Did I miss an appointment?"

"No."

"Is it a new client?"

"No."

"One of the partners?"

"No."

Michonne puts down her pen and stares at the phone, sorely missing her usual assistant Spencer, who's currently on vacation.

"Who is it Lisa?" Michonne asks feeling exasperated.

"Uhh… your husband," Lisa says with uncertainty.

"My husb-" Michonne starts to ask but Lisa cuts her off.

"A Mr. Rick Grimes."

The name jolts to her feet. Her chair swings back and knocks into the credenza behind her desk. Her heart stops for a full three seconds before starting up at an erratic pace at the sheer mention of his name.

Rick Grimes.

It's been four days since Michonne last saw him, since she last spoke to him, since they last made lover. At the mere thought of love making, her body hums awake with excitement. She can feel her apex pulse with anticipation and need. She inhales deeply trying to calm her pulsing sex and racing heart as she tries to put together a coherent thought.

She left him in the early hours of dawn with no good bye or note. Somehow she knew this day would come, she didn't want to admit that a small part of her was disappointed it didn't happen sooner and yet a bigger part of her rejoice that it was finally here.

"Ms. Michonne? Are you still there?"

Snapping out from her thoughts, she replies, "Uhhh… yes."

"Your husband, Mr. Grimes… should I-"

"Send him in," she says cutting her off.

"Yes ma'am." The intercom disconnects.

Michonne stumbles to the mirror near her bookshelves and takes a glance at herself. She looks good but wishes she had time to swipe on some lipstick or gloss. She chides herself. She wants to get the marriage annulled, so why is she concern with her looks or better yet how Rick sees her.

A knock sounds on the other side of the door.

She clears her throat and moves away from the mirror trying to appear nonchalant, "Come in."

0000000000

It's been four days since Rick last saw her, his wife and he is rake with more nerves now then he could possibly ever imagine before. Four days since he heard her smooth voice, four days since he made love to her, four days since he looked into her dark salacious brown eyes. Four days too long.

He would have come sooner but he couldn't get away from work, Banner one of his deputy was out sick for a couple of days. Also, Rick needed to get some of his affairs in order. He wanted to call but he decided to wait, knowing a personal appearance would have more of an impact.

Rick inhales deeply, runs his hand through his hair before he knocks on her office door. It seems like hours but it's only a few seconds before he hears her soft voice call out.

"Come in."

Rick hand drops to the door handle, he turns it and pushes the door open. His eyes sweep across the sparsely decorated space before locking upon Michonne's eyes. She stands coolly by her desk with a folder in her hand looking stunningly beautiful in a navy slim fitting tailor pantsuit with a yellow and white flow-y blouse. Her locs are swept up in a half ponytail showing off the long slope of her neck. She subconsciously licks her lips as she stands straighter and taller, pushing her breast out.

Rick knew he missed her, missed Michonne but didn't realize how much until that very moment. All of his nerves dissipates as they gaze into each eyes.

With a smile, Rick greets her: "Hello Mrs. Grimes."

0000000000

A silent breath hitches in Michonne's chest at the sight of Rick Grimes.

 _Damn, he looks good._ She thinks.

He pushes open her office door wider and steps into the room. He's dress in a yellow and grey plaid button down shirt, tucked into the best fitting Levi jeans Michonne has ever seen on a man and dark brown boots.

 _Did he look this good before?_ Her mind races.

She licks her lips as her eyes sweep over him. Once the sweep is complete, she glances up to his face; curly brown locks carelessly styled, a neatly trim scruff grace his face and cobalt eyes frame by long dark eyes lashes with sensual lips lifting at the corner complete his dashing looks.

He smiles and say, "Hello, Mrs. Grimes."

Her stomach flutters and her heart continues its erratic rhythm at his greeting. Hearing him say that shouldn't feel this good. Michonne tries to fight the smile that forms across her lips, she breaks the intense eyes contact and looks down at his hand. He follows her eyes, remembering the bouquet in his hand. Holding them up, he walks deeper into the room. White snap dragon, yellow iris, and purple lillium stargazer makes up the erotic bouquet of flowers.

 _He remembered all of my favorite flowers._ She thinks.

He steps forward and hands her the bouquet. She takes it, in awe that after telling him once what her favorite flowers were that he remembered. Once the bouquet is in hand, she brings it up to her nose and inhales the sweet fragrance.

"Thank you," Michonne mumbles lowering the flowers from her face. She looks up to him and realize how close he stands to her. She inhales and is immediately ensconce within his lustful scent of sandalwood and vanilla, her sex pulse faster while her heart triple its pace. He closes the distances between them and leans into her. His firm soft lips presses against hers.

Michonne closes her eyes and presses in to deepen the kiss. His tongue brushes against her lips, seeking hers. She opens her mouth, inhales and taste him. One hand wraps around her waist, pulling her closer; the other cups the side of her face. She willingly falls into him. Her hands fist his shirt as she tries to embed herself into him.

When the kiss finally ends, Michonne finds it difficult to breath, to think straight. She gaze up into his bright blue eyes.

Wrap in his arms, she finally speaks in a breathless whisper, "We need to get a divorce."

0000000000

Rick hasn't said anything in seven minutes. In over four-hundred and twenty-six seconds to be exact; Michonne is silently counting the seconds, a nervous habit. She chews the bottom of her lips as she watches him pace the length of her office. After her announcement that they need to get a divorce Rick repels against her as if she just struck him. She tries to speak but he holds up his hand to pause her. She obeys to the silent jester, it's been seven minutes since.

As soon as the words leave her mouth, divorce, she feels sick to her stomach. This shouldn't hurt as much as it does. It shouldn't bother her but it does. She feels uncomfortable in her skin. She chews on her lips and fidgets with the hem of her blouse, shifting from one leg to the other wishing she could take the words back.

This needs to be done. How could she possibly stay marry to man she drunkenly got married to in Las Vegas? Las Vegas.

 _But you weren't drunk._ Her subconscious says. She quells it to be quiet. It's true she wasn't drunk, at least not on alcohol perhaps on the man himself but definitely not on alcohol.

Still, how could she possibly stay marry to him? They only just met. How would she explain this to her parents? The partners of the law firm? Her co-workers? His children? He has children, was she ready for an instance family? Was she ready to be a stepmom? What if his kids hated her? She seen the strongest marriages crumble because of the will of children.

 _But what if they love you?_ Her inner voice asks. Her heart flutters at the thought.

She feels his eyes upon her and she chance a glance. Cerulean eyes bores into hers, she wants to break the eye contact but knows this needs to be done.

"A divorce?"

"An annulment, actually. We've been married for least than a week so it will be an annulment, like this entire thing never happened."

"Like it… never happened?" Rick repeats.

"This is the best option."

"For who?"

"For you… for me… for us. This is the best option. We can get an annulment and act as if it never happened."

"Is that what you really want?"

Michonne hesitate. What does she really want? She thinks back to the night in Vegas. Their shared laughter. Their slow touches. Holding hand walking down the Strip. The world fading away at their first kiss at the Bellagio while the water danced with the light behind them.

"Is that what you really want?" He asks again this time in a whisper, closing the distance between them.

She watches his slow approach, trying to will herself to tell him that's what she wants. Her lips part but nothing comes out. She tries again and only succeed in licking her lips, she watches as Rick's eyes trace the movement and causes his eyes to darken with desire.

"Michonne tell me that's what you really want."

He's a breath away from her, not leaving her enough room to think clearly. Michonne inhales and his intoxicating scent rushes straight to her saturated pulsing sex. She has to bit her lower lips to stifle a moan from escaping.

"Michonne," he calls out again.

She has to stifle another moan at the way he drawls her name.

"This won't work," She finally answers.

"Why?"

"We're too different."

"Different works."

"You don't know me," Michonne says pushing away from him.

Rick catches her wrist and pulls her back to him. Placing a finger under her chin he raise her head to lock eyes with his.

"I know you."

"Rick…" Michonne starts. He shakes his head silencing her.

"I know you. You're independent, determine, strong and fuckin' stubborn as hell. Your sense of humor is warped, you laugh at almost anythan' including my corny jokes and especially at inappropriate moments. You've worked hard to get to this point of your career and as much as you love it, you yearn for more. I know marriage scares you, that level of commitment. I know the last serious relationship you were in ended suddenly four years ago when your boyfriend Mike Murray died in a car accident. I know anytime you start to move on you start to feel guilty. I'm here to tell you, you don't have to feel guilty or scared or worried because I am here. I know you and I will be here as long as you want me. So tell me Michonne, do you really want that divorce."

Michonne stares into Rick's blue eyes. She feels the tears weighing in the back of her eyes. She closes them to the onslaught of emotions rolling through her. She feels him press his forehead against hers and the emotions boils within her chest.

"Tell me that's what you really want… what you truly want deep down in your heart Michonne and I'll sign any divorce or annulment paper you want me to. It'll hurt but I'll do anythan' to make you happy."

He says it softly as if a secret between them. They stand silently in each other's embrace for several minutes. Once Michonne has a solid reign on her emotions she moves away from Rick. He unwilling releases her.

Wrapping her arms around her waist as she begins to pace while cool blue eyes calmly regards her.

"I don't know what I want but… but how can we make this work? I live in Atlanta and you, in King County… which is an hour and a half away. We both work long hours and …" Michonne pauses, inhale, and turns to face Rick, "What are we going to tell our friends? Our family? Your children?"

Michonne notice a small smile pull at the corner of Rick's lips.

"Why are you smiling?"

"You're willin' to try?" Rick asks hopefully.

"I don't know what I'm willing to do."

"Give me the summer," Rick says approaching her again, "Let's really try to make this work. Let me show you that this… that we… we can work."

"What will happen at the end of the summer?"

"Let's not think 'bout the end… let's just try."

She doesn't speak, she tries to think of all the possibilities; the pros and cons of just trying, of genuinely trying to be married to Rick. She glances up at him, she startle at how close he stands to her; his eyes watch each thought cross her face.

When she opens her mouth to speak, Rick's lips crush against her. He immediately seize her mouth and push his tongue into her willing mouth. The heat in her body rises as her pulsating sex causes her to tremble in his arm. Rick presses her firmly against him, his hand trailing down her body until they round her hips and lands onto her ass. He palms the firm globes, caressing them before taking a handful and squeezing while pushing her against his hardening length all the while deepening the kiss. His tongue aggressively subduing hers. Michonne moans into his mouth and melts in his hand.

All too suddenly Rick breaks away from her with lips still in the form of the kiss her eyes flutter open to see him standing a foot away. Looking completely cool and composed.

"Think 'bout it. The summer. Give me your answer tomorrow night, when I come to pick you up for dinner."

With that he's gone. He doesn't wait for an answer, leaving a stupefied feeling Michonne staring at her office door swinging close as her body courses with a lustful fire ignited by Rick Grimes.

"Okay," Michonne answers to the empty room.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hello Readers! Thank you so much for the love and support! It means so much to me to get your feedback. I appreciate it all the thouhgts and comments. My mind and fingers have been furiously working on this story! This chapter is kind of long and a slight filler but it should start picking up soon. Hopefully, you all enjoy it just the same and let me know what you think! Thanks - fithola**

 **Chapter 5**

"What are you going to do?" Maggie asks taking a sip of her wine.

"I don't know," Michonne replies feeling anxious knowing the answer is on the tip of her tongue.

"I think you should spend the summer fucking him!" Andrea comments.

"You tend to think with your va-jay-jay… so that's to be expected from you." Maggie quips.

"You're a grown ass woman use your adult words, it is called a vagina... you can even call it a pussy… but you're right. I do think with my vagina because less heartbreak comes from thinking with my vagina than with my heart."

"I didn't think you had a heart," Maggie fires back.

"Once upon a time I did…"

"Let me guess it fell out of your loose _vagina_?"

Michonne chokes on her wine, Andrea glares at Maggie while Sasha roars with laughter as she returns with another bottle of wine.

"That was a low blow, Mags!" Sasha says chortling.

"There's nothing loose about my _vagina_."

"I bet half the men in Atlanta would beg the differ."

"Fuck you! I bet Gle-"

"ENOUGH!" Michonne shouts.

Maggie and Andrea both fall silent while glaring at each other. Sasha continues to laugh, refilling her glass with more wine.

"What's going on with you two? You guys been at each other's throat for a while," Michonne asks.

"Asks saint fucking Maggie," Andrea huffs. Maggie replies by rolling her eyes and looking away. Michonne notes Maggie's reaction, recent hostility, and sour mood. Out of the group of women, Maggie is usually sweet, caring, and giving one; Michonne makes a mental note to talk to her sister-in-law about her weird behavior.

"As entertaining this stupid petty fight is… I don't care," Sasha says sitting back on Michonne's couch before turning to face their host with curious eyes and asking, "What I am interested in, is if you are really going to try this marriage thing?"

"I don't know."

"I think you should try," Sasha says. Maggie's and Andrea's attention snaps to the young woman in surprise.

Sasha, Maggie, and Andrea gather in Michonne's living room going through bottles of wine like water and gorging themselves on pizza, popcorn, and chocolate.

When Michonne told Sasha about her surprised marriage to Rick Grimes, Sasha took it surprisingly well. She is the youngest in the group of women and also the least romantic or emotional, even more pragmatic and facts driven than Michonne. When Michonne told her about the marriage Sasha is supportive; she hadn't expected this from her. She thought Maggie would be supportive and Sasha would give her a hard time but the roles seem to switch. Andrea, Michonne expected, would tease and joke about the situation giving her both a hard time yet still remain supportive all the while making crude jokes. Andrea didn't disappoint.

At the start of their night, Michonne gave the girls a rundown of her impromptu afternoon meeting with Rick and his request o allow the summer to make their marriage work.

"Sash, I think you had too much to drink," Maggie says reaching out to grab Sasha's glass, the woman in turn smacks her hand away.

"I actually agree with Maggie. How many glasses of wine did you have?"

"Two glasses and I am fine!" Sasha replies to Maggie and Andrea before turning her attention to her cousin, "I think you should try."

"I… I don't… think…"

"What's the worst that can happen?" Sasha asks cutting a stumbling Michonne off.

"You mean besides getting married to a complete stranger?" Maggie asks.

"She could always get pregnant!" Andrea adds.

Maggie bolts up in her seat; her eyes wide as she stares open mouth at Michonne, "Please tell me you guys were being safe."

Michonne looks around the room avoiding Maggie's eyes.

"I'm on birth control."

"Which is only so effective," Andrea quips.

"Andrea! You're not helping!" Michonne reprimands.

Andrea carelessly shrugs her shoulders before reaching for the new bottle of wine Sasha opened. She fills her glass, takes two big gulps before filling her glass again.

"Michonne, please tell me you're being safe," Maggie pleads with concern eyes.

"I'm being safe," Michonne says, it's not a complete lie but it's not the entire truth.

"I still think you should try," Sasha says again.

"What about my family… I don't think Judge and mom would approve."

"They're parents of course they won't approve but you're a grown ass woman so who gives a shit?" Andrea asks.

"This could be scandalous for Judge's campaign," Maggie adds.

With a roll of her eyes and a heavy sigh, Andrea states: "That's why they hired that expensive ass, Olivia Pope wannabe, campaign manager to fix shit if it becomes scandalous."

"He has kids!"

"You love kids," Sasha replies.

"What if they don't like me?"

"They will."

"What about his ex-wife?"

"She's his ex for a reason," Sasha retorts.

"What if his family don't like me?"

"Who gives a fuck about his family?" Andrea quips.

"What if I don't fit in with his lifestyle? What if he doesn't fit in mines?"

"It's called compromise."

"What if-"

"Enough with all of the what ifs bullshit!" Sasha snaps sitting up and scooting to the edge of the sofa. She places her glass down and stares into her cousin's dark brown eyes, "What if this works out? What if his kids adore and love you? What if his family thinks you're perfect? What if this was meant to happen all along? What if you are meant to be in his and his children lives and they are meant to be in yours? What if he's the love of your life? What if then? You're only thinking about the negative what ifs but what about the good ones?"

Silence sweeps through the room as each women think of Sasha's word. Written across Sasha's face, Michonne can see the young woman is also surprise by her own speech.

After a couple of minutes of quiet Michonne finally decides, "Ok… I'm going to try."

Sasha and Andrea cheer for Michonne's decision while Maggie says nothing as an angry scowl distorts her pretty face.

"Maggie…" Michonne starts.

"What?"

"Are you really going to change your mind because Maggie doesn't fucking approve?" Andrea asks incredulously.

"Eff off, Andrea!" Maggie spats before turning to Michonne, "I just think this is happening too fast. You can get the marriage annulled and then date him. It's the practical thing to do."

Michonne considers Maggie's advice, annulling the marriage then dating Rick would be practical and the smart thing to do. It would be the safe thing to do.

"That could work," Michonne considers.

"Nonsense! I think this is the perfect speed for Michonne," Sasha adds.

The other women look at her, wanting and waiting for her to expand her thoughts.

"Michonne, you've been practically frozen for the pass four years. After Mike died and… and… well…we all understand why you've been in this self-freeze. We get it and no one is judging you. We're also not speaking ill of what you and Mike had but I think it is past time for you to move on. I believe if it didn't happen this way, all of a sudden then you would still be frozen in the past."

"When the fuck did you become so deep and thought provoking? Oh and a fucking optimist?" Andrea asks.

Sasha shrugs her shoulders and chuckles: "I don't know, maybe because its summer and I'm done with classes for a while. Not to mention enjoying the days without the stress of classes, homework, and exams."

"I'm scared by this Sasha! I like dark and moody Sasha," Andrea jokes.

"No worries, she'll be back in the fall."

The women share a laugh.

Even Maggie adds a chuckle to the laughter before sobering up, "Are you sure this is the right decision?"

Rick's face comes to the forefront of her mind, the thought of his smile pulls one from her own lips. "It feels right."

"The way you're smiling, I bet he feels more than right!" Andrea says with a wink.

"If you're making this decision because of the sex then it is –"

"It's not about the sex!" Michonne says forcefully cutting Maggie off, who is startle by the conviction Michonne speaks with.

"This decision has nothing to do with sex with him. I need to make that perfectly clear! We didn't have sex until after we got married! Sex has nothing to do with why I married him in the first place and it has nothing to do with my decision now. I'm deciding to try because Sasha is right… what if this is meant to be?" Michonne pauses for a several seconds before she continues, "Maggie you're also right… this is happening fast but as much as I want to shake off the feeling… it feels right… and that scares the shit out of me."

"Oh Michonne!" Andrea coos.

"I haven't felt this way about anyone since…" She pauses again, inhales deeply before exhaling, and continues to speak; "Since Mike and this... this even feels different. It scares the shit out of me because it is all of a sudden and it is happening all at once but this… this feeling... I ignored my gut feeling once before and that costed me dearly. I can't do that again, I won't. This feels too right."

Silence wavers throughout the room, no one speaks for full a minute.

"Fuckin' A!" Andrea comments with glee.

"Oh shit! This summer is going to be amazing!"

Maggie rolls her eyes but lifts her glass in salute to Michonne before she empties the contains of her glass.

Michonne returns the salute, trying not to smile too boarding happy with her decision to make things work with Rick, her husband.

XxXx0000000000xXxX

Sleep doesn't come easily for Rick, he tosses and turns most of the night only finding solace in sleep hours before dawn. Being in a hotel room only helps in the lack of sleep. Once up, he starts his day with a quick run in the hotel gym before showering.

When he's dress, Rick face-time his kids getting an update on their activities and summer vacation. Judith is first on the screen. The little girl chit-chats about her new toys, friends, and the day at the beach. After talking to his daughter for several minutes, Carl takes away the phone catches up with his dad.

"AAU Baseball starts in three weeks," Carl reminds his father after talking to him for a while.

"I know. I have it in my calendar. How are you coming along at Dale's summer camp?"

"Good, my pitching has gotten better so has my batting."

"That's good, think you going to be a starter this year?"

"Yea, I think," Carl says with a shrug scratching his head, "Ron and I are both first basemen, so it depends how good he is this year."

"You are better than that Anderson boy; so don't worry about him, just practice your swing."

Carl chuckles and nods before noticing his father's backdrop is different, "Hey Dad, are you home?"

"No, I'm in Atlanta."

"What are you doing in Atlanta?" Carl asks curiously.

"Visiting." Rick shifts in his seat, he wants to tell Carl about Michonne but he knows it's best to wait.

"Visiting? I thought you hated the city."

"I don't hate the city," Rick says sheepishly.

"What are you doing in Atlanta then?"

"I'm visiting a friend."

"It is a girl?" Carl asks.

Rick scratches his chin and nods, "Yea, she's a woman."

"So is this your _girl-friend_?" Carl asks.

Rick chuckles and shakes his head knowing he walk straight into that set-up, "Pass the phone to your grandmother, smartass."

Carl laughs before calling out to his grandmother.

Rick speaks to his mom for a few minutes before ending the call. Satisfied with seeing and talking to his children, his mind goes to Michonne. He's not supposed to meet her until later in the afternoon. His plans is to spends the morning finalizing details for their first official date all while anxiously waiting to see his wife again.

XxXx0000000000xXxX

Inhaling deeply he tries to calm his nerves as he knocks on the door and waits.

No one answers. No one calls out.

He knocks again, a little harder this time.

Still no answer. Panic starts to rise in his throat. He knocks forcefully calling out her name.

"Michonne! Michonne!"

He hears a groan on the other side of the door and a loud crash.

He knocks again calling out her name, the door finally pulls open and Michonne dazedly stares at him looking dishevel. Her normally bright eyes are dull and sunken in, her locks are in disarray on top of her head and her usually glowing skin looks ashen and murky. Beads of sweat covers her forehead and she's hunch over in apparent pain.

"Rick…" She starts, her voice weak and barely audible.

"Michonne," He says stepping forward.

"I forgot… to call you… not feeling…" Michonne's body jolts forward and an unsavory sounds come from her mouth. Her hands cover her mouth as she retches again, she stumbles into her apartment and Rick follows after her.

Stumbling into her kitchen, the contents of her stomach escapes from her lips. Half of the contents makes it into the sink covering dishes in the already in the full sink while the other half finds its way to the floor.

When the first string of vomit comes up, Rick puts the bouquet of flowers and grocery bags on the counter, and rushes to Michonne's side. He pulls her hair away from her face and rubs her back as she empties her stomach. Once the retching stops and her stomach has settle, Michonne groans in pain. Rick turns on the faucet and splash cool water on her face; she groans and leans against him for support.

He wraps his arms around her and feels her forehead, she's burning up.

"You're on fire," He comments.

"Fire…fine… need sleep."

Looking down at her, her eyes already half close as she lays her head against his chest. He sweeps her off her feet into his arm and walks towards the back of her apartment.

Finding her bedroom, he lays her upon her bed where she groans again and curls her body into a protective ball. Rick stares down at her for several minutes, thinking of the best course of action. Deciding if her fever doesn't break in a few hours he will take her to the hospital. Shivering in her protective ball, he caresses her warm cheek and smiles at her. Even looking deathly sick there's still something about beautiful about her. He takes another moment to stare at her before covering her with the thick comforter.

Rick looks around her room for a moment, it is a meticulous take on modern and minimalist design with the perfect hint of masculinity and feminism in shades of gray and hints of deep purple and yellows. Feeling as if he's intruding on her personal space, Rick leaves Michonne's bedroom.

The theme of meticulously modern and minimalist design flows throughout her apartment; every piece of furniture, decoration, art, and trinkets seem to flow together and match perfectly, unlike his country home of knick-knacks.

Ricks sighs as he looks around the living room deciding what to do for the remainder of the afternoon, knowing the date he planned with Michonne is now officially cancel.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hello lovelies! Thank you for the comments/ reviews! Apologies this one took a little longer to update but it is pretty long so hopefully I made up for the wait. Hope you all enjoy! Thanks for reading and taking the time out to comment/review, it is always appreciated! - fithola**

 **Chapter 6**

 _I can't believe we're already fighting._ She thinks.

It's been one week and two days since they first met. One week and a day since they got married in Las Vegas. Reconnecting only two days prior when he showed up unannounced at her office. Now they stand in the middle of her living room having their first argument.

 _The make-up sex is going to be phenomenal._ Her mind ponders. She chastise herself for her thoughts as she takes in Rick.

Agitated he paces her living room; his eyes blaze a darker blue, shoulders tense and arms waving wildly in the air.

He shifts the full force of his penetrating gaze upon her before turning and ambling towards her in a slow bow-leg predator gait.

 _Oh shit._ Her mind screams internally.

XxXx0000000000xXxX

 _Three Hours Earlier_

"Are you dead?"

"Ughhh," Michonne groans into her cellphone. If it wasn't for the constant ringing, she would not have answered it.

"I think I am dead. I feel dead," the person on the other end of the phone groans in return. Michonne coughs to clear her throat. Her mouth is dry and has an awful taste upon her tongue.

"If this is death, I don't like it."

"A-Andrea," She finally gets out, "What do you want?"

"Calling to see if you're dead."

"I'm not."

"Well I am! I don't have a _husband_ here to pamper me!"

Michonne snaps up into a sitting position. It all comes back to her in a dizzy rush. She remembers Rick and their date. Opening the door to cerulean eyes and his smile fading once he took her in; she recalls rushing to the sink and throwing up. She recalls him holding back her hair and carrying her to bed. She groans internally at the memories.

"Who orders a Greek salad pizza? Who was the fucking genius who thought up of a Greek salad pizza? Why put a salad on top of a pizza? It's a fucking pizza! It is not supposed to be healthy!"

"Andrea-" Michonne tries to cut her off but the woman ignores her and continues her rant. Michonne stands and notices the vase of pink and red snap dragons by her bedside. She smiles at the flowers, he must have put them there. She wonders if he was gone, a flutter of disappointment floats through her chest at the thought of Rick already gone.

"If you want to eat a salad then eat a fucking salad but don't ever order a pizza salad or salad pizza or any fucking shit like that again. Michonne, you are never allowed to order pizza again and if you do stick with pepperoni and cheese."

"There were other choices," Michonne grumbles glancing at her bedside clock, it's only five o'clock. She pace towards her bedroom window, pushing the curtains open; the sun hangs lower in the sky, slowly making its way to the horizon for the night.

"Too fucking late for the advice Mich. Maggie was smart she had cheese just like her boring bland ass; so she's fine. Sasha must have a fucking steel trap for a stomach because that girl had more of that nasty ass Greek salad pizza and she's completely fine. She called wanting to know if I wanted to do lunch with her and Maggie, I could barely get of fucking bed. I almost called my mom to take care of me, Mich! My mom! I love her but you know how much that woman gets on my damn nerv-."

Michonne disconnect the phone while Andrea is in mid-sentence. Once Andrea starts on her mom, it's a black hole of time and Michonne has other things on her mind, mostly Rick.

Turning away from the window, Michonne starts out of her bedroom. Her phone starts to ring again, she silences the device and toss it onto her bed as she steps into the hallway. When she reaches the end of the hallway she pauses, the place is spotless.

Hosting Sasha, Andrea, and Maggie, the women left the place a mess with empty wine bottles, pizza boxes, and junk food scatter around her living room and kitchen the night before. Michonne plan was to clean the disaster in the morning before her afternoon date with Rick. Her plans were for naught when she woke up sick.

Now the place is spotless. The sink is clean and clear of all traces of dishes and vomit, her floors are glossy and her counter tops are bare of any foreign objects.

Michonne's heart flutter at the thought of Rick doing all of this for her. A soft snore sounds from the living room catching her attention; she turns toward the sound and quietly making her way into the room.

A smile tugs across her smile as she sees Rick sprawl out on the couch. One arm is swung over his face, the other lays across his stomach with a book facedown across his chest and one leg hanging over the end other couch. She can't shake off the feeling that Rick is meant to be on her couch, maybe it's because he looks so handsome and peaceful as he sleeps.

Grabbing the throw blanket that's drape over the back of the couch, she covers Rick with it. Pulling the book away from his chest she's surprise to find blue eyes sleepily gazing up at her.

"Hey," he grumbles.

"Hi," Michonne says with a smile.

Rick starts to sit up, Michonne stops him by putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Rest."

"Nah, I should get up," Rick says stretching as he sits up, "How ya feelin'?"

"Good, hungry but good."

"I'm sure you are, you wouldn't stop throwing up yesterday. I thought you would puke your stomach out."

Michonne groans at his admission, she pauses at something he says and looks up at him in alarm.

"Yesterday?"

"Yes," Rick watches the confusion play across her face. He pushes the blanket off of him and swings his other leg onto the floor turning to face her. "Today is Sunday, you slept through most of the weekend, Michonne. You were pretty out of it for most of the afternoon and night and spent most of the time throwing up and sleeping. I tried to give you some ginger ale for your stomach and soup but you threw those up too. We finally settled on blue Gatorade, you seem to like that."

"And you stayed the entire time?" Michonne asks, eyes unexpectedly filling with unshed tears at the way Rick stayed and took care of her.

"Through sickness and health, right?"

Michonne smiles, "Right."

She looks away from the cerulean eyes, searching the room for relief from the intensity of his stare.

"Thank you for cleaning, you didn't have to do that."

Rick shrugs, "There was nothing better for me to do."

 _This man is amazing._ She thinks.

His eyes trace the features of her face and suddenly Michonne feels self-conscious remembering she looks a mess and her breath. She's surprise his eyes are not watering at the smell of her breath. She whips her hand over her mouth and turns away from his gaze, trying to look anywhere but at him.

"You said you're hungry? Wanna try to eat something?"

She nods, peeking a glance him with her mouth still cover. Those blue eyes takes her in and she glances away.

"Go take a shower and I'll warm up dinner."

She nods again as she stands to her feet, Rick moves along with her. They pause inches apart, he pulls her hands away from her mouth, eyes dropping to her lips. Her eyes are on his, they slowly travel up his face until they reach his starling blues. She can see the desire within the blue orbs, he takes a step closer and she snaps away from him.

"Shower… I better go," She says stumbling away.

XxXx0000000000xXxX

 _Two Hours & Five Minutes Earlier_

Michonne's stomach grumbles as she inhales the mouthwatering aroma. Padding towards the kitchen she pauses at the entrance and watch Rick move around her kitchen like it belongs to him. A wide smile spreads across her face while she takes him in. He's dress in the best fitting Levi jeans again and a snug brown t-shirt. She can't believe how good the man look in jeans and a t-shirt.

 _He looks better naked._ Her mind reminds her. Her mind travels to the thought of Rick Grimes naked and her body temperature increases.

She doesn't realize Rick is looking at her until he calls out her name. She meet his blue eyes briefly before looking away embarrass, being caught ogling him. She hears him chuckle as she enters the kitchen.

"What smells so good?" Michonne asks ignoring his chortle.

"My specialty, it is sure to make you feel one hundred percent better, chicken noddle soup."

"You made chicken noddle soup while I took a shower? I know I take long showers but I am not that bad!" She jokes taking a seat on the bar-stool at the kitchen island.

Rick chuckles while opening up a cabinet and pulling two bowls from inside, "I cooked it last night."

"Last night?"

"Yes, while you slept I cleaned and cooked."

"Cooking. Cleaning. You'll make a proper house-husband. Do you do laundry too?"

"I have mastered the art of getting grass stain out of jeans and ketchup stains out of white shirts."

Michonne laughs. Rick scoops a spoonful of chicken noddle soup, placing a healthy portion in each bowl before turning back to Michonne and placing a bowl in front of her. He fills two glasses with water, grab some utensils, and places the items in front of Michonne before sitting next to her.

"Thank you."

Michonne scoops up a spoonful of soup and takes a tentative sip. The soup is delicious with the perfect blend of seasoning, noodles, carrots, peas, and chicken. She takes another spoonful this time a bigger bite enjoying the meal. Her stomach grumbles in content. After several more mouthfuls of the soup she notices Rick staring at her. With the spoon halfway to her mouth she turns to a smiling Rick.

"What?"

"Nothing," he continues to smile as he spoons the noodles in his bowl and eat himself.

She always heard about sitting in comfortable silence with a person, like she's experiencing with Rick. The silence is not only comfortable there's a soft peace to enjoying a meal next to him. Michonne tries to think if she has ever experience a comfortable silence with a person, just enjoying their presence and the peace of the moment. Her minds wanders to Mike, maybe at a time they could sit in comfortable silence but it was never like this, this peaceful. Michonne finishes all of her soup and thinks about seconds.

"You should wait to see how your stomach handles the food before you get more."

She nods in agreement taking a sip of her water.

"That was really good."

"Glad you like it but like I said, it is my specialty."

"Is that the only thing you know how to cook?"

Rick looks offended, "What do you take me for? Last night I had planned to come over here and woo you with my cooking skills."

"Woo me?" She smirks.

"Woo you! My Chicken Marsala would had you dropping down on one knee asking _me_ to marry _you_."

"You're that cocky huh?"

"I'm that confident," Rick says leaning towards Michonne. Pull by his gravity, she leans into him and smiles. His eyes fall to her lips, a smile pulling at his own lips. He leans in to capture her lips but Michonne abruptly stands. She gathers their empty bowls, glasses, and moves to the sink. She hears a soft sigh behind her as she moves away.

"Where did you learn how to cook?"

"Single dad, I either learn how to cook or feed my kids take out and frozen microwaveable food," Rick says coming to stand next to her. Michonne turns on the faucet and together they start washing the dishes.

"Cooking lessons, recipes, or trial and error?"

"All three, more trial and error than anythan' else. I even develop an unhealthy obsession with the Food Network."

"You thought you were Bobby Flay, huh?"

He gives a deep chuckle as he shakes his head, "More Rachel Ray, I mastered the thirty minute meal but sometimes I like to pretend I'm Emeril Lagasse."

"Did you pretend to talk to a camera while you cooked?"

"Nah, normally Carl kept me company. He'll do his homework while I cooked that way I could help him if he had any questions. When Judith got older she became my little helper."

Michonne hearts warm at the image he speaks of. She tries to imagine how she'll look as part of that picture, getting dinner ready with the Grimes family.

"That's sweet," She mumbles.

The dishes are wash, dried, and put away in silence. Michonne tidy the kitchen while Rick starts a pot of tea. She watches him effortlessly move around her kitchen as if it is his. He puts together a tray with two tea cups, a plate of cookies, and assorted tea bags from her cabinets.

"You bake too?" She asks incredulously.

"No, store brought. That's one thing I'm terrible at, baking. I can bake a casserole no problem but cookies? Cake? I'll burn the house down… almost did... several times."

Michonne laughs harder than she intends to and gives him a secret smile. Once the hot water is ready, Rick puts the rest of the tray together, and the two retreat to her living room. Rick takes up one side of the couch and Michonne sits away from him on the other end.

XxXx0000000000xXxX

 _Thirty Minutes Earlier_

Somehow they end up sitting next to each other. Rick leans into her as she leans into him. Thighs touching as hands lightly caresses the others. The conversation easily flowing. After dinner, Michonne turns on her Love, Sex, and Water playlist, allowing the eccentric collection of music to fill the spaces of their conversation.

"You redeemed your music taste with _Higher Love_ , even though I still believe Steve Winwood version is better," He tease.

"I'm just impress you know other songs outside of country music."

"Hey, I'm hip. I know other artists and songs."

"If you have to say you're hip… that means you're not hip."

Rick take her jab coolly and replies, "I know other artist outside of country. I listen to hip-hop."

Her eyebrow raises with humor, "Name three current artist!"

She smiles at the adorable knit of his brows as he concentrate.

"If you have to think that hard…"

"There's Jay-B and Zeyonce."

Michonne's mouth gap open for several seconds before she breaks into a loud laugh leaning into him which in turn causes Rick to smile wider and inches closer.

"Jay-B and Zeyonce? Are you serious?" Michonne laughs out for a moment before she collects her breathe, "You mean Jay-Z and Beyoncé?"

"I know who they are."

She looks at him with doubt.

"Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Raury, Zhu, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Taylor Swift, Pell, Chris Brown, Sam Hunt, Sia, Eminem, Kygo, Slipknot, Imagine Dragon and I can go on!"

Her eyes widens as he rattles off various artist names; he smiles knowing he impress and surprise her.

"How do you know all that?"

"I told you I'm hip," he states with another chuckle, her eyes narrow upon him and he laughs harder, "Carl."

"Carl?"

"He is like you, he has an eccentric taste in music and likes a little bit of everythan'. I make it my business to know what's he's listening, watching, and reading."

She can't help but smile at his over-protectiveness, "And you allow him to listen to Jay-Z?"

"Trust me, we had several conversations about his choices and some have even been banned from the house but he's fifteen soon to be sixteen. As much as I want to, I can't keep him from growing up."

Turning into him, Michonne gazes into his cerulean eyes. The current song ends and a new one begins, it's slow and seductive.

"Who is this?"

"I thought you knew all the artist?" Michonne mocks him.

He pulls her into him, "Not all of them."

"Trixie Whitely's _Breathe You In My Dreams_."

" _Breathe You In My Dreams_."

By the look in his eyes, she knows he wants to kiss her. She wants him to kiss her. Before she can allow that she has to apologies.

"Sorry about our date," She starts.

He shrugs, slowly taking in her face, "I thought this is our date."

"A real one… we'll try again soon."

"Yea?"

Nodding, she repeats, "Yea."

"Did you party too hard?" He alludes to the mess her and her friends had made Friday night.

"Food poisoning. I think it was the Greek Salad Pizza, Andrea got sick too."

"Greek Salad Pizza? Whatever happened to pepperoni pizza?"

She giggles, "It sounded good at the time!"

"I'm never letting you order pizza."

Her giggles turns into a deeper laugh, "Andrea said the same thing."

"Sasha, your cousin, had called several times. Hope you don't mind but I answered your phone and told her you were sick but I was taking care of you."

"You didn't have to… take care of me."

"I wanted to," He leans in breathing against her lips.

"Thank you for everything. I owe you fo-"

"You owe me nothing… we're married. We're partners and I did this because I lo-"

"Don't say it!" Michonne cuts him off jolting away from him.

"Say what? Say that I love you!" He doesn't shout but there's anger in his voice. He inches away from her.

"How can you possibly say you love me when you barely know me?"

"You don't believe me?"

Rick is on he's feet so fast, Michonne is jar by his quick movement; but she recovers quickly and jolts to her feet. He starts to pace her living room and she watches his every move.

"How can you possibly say you love me? How can you possibly be in love with me? Sure I'll gladly admit that there's something between us that I don't even fully understand but love? How can you be so sure? I care about you! Hell, I like you more than what even makes sense to me but love, Rick? We just met Rick! We've known each other a little more than a week! Actually barely a week since we didn't speak for four days!"

"And who's fault is that? You left!" He snaps.

"What else was I supposed to do?"

"Stay! You were supposed to fuckin' stay, Michonne."

The hurt he feels wraps around each word and punches her in the gut. She figured he'll be upset by her leaving but hadn't thought he'll also be hurt. His blue eyes sing with the sting of pain before morphing into anger once more, "You were supposed to stay, so we could figure out our next step together!"

XxXx0000000000xXxX

 _Now_

"Stay? And discuss a one night stand?"

"This isn't a one night stand! This isn't some Vegas fling! I am your husband and you are my wife! And I love you!"

"You don't love me. You may like me but I doubt you love me."

He shifts the full force of his penetrating gaze upon her before turning and ambling towards her in a slow bow-leg predator gait.

"Don't you dare tell me how I feel about you!"

"How? Explain to me how."

He comes to a stop in front of her, she defiantly glares at him refusing to back down.

"When I got divorce to Lori, I promised myself I'll never get marry again. That it wasn't worth it and I would never do that again. I promised myself that I wouldn't put myself through that shit again, that I wouldn't put my children through that and then I saw you. I fuckin' saw you, then you smiled and all I wanted was to be with you. I never believed in that cliché, even with Lori I never believed that cliché bullshit. I thought it was only for movies but I looked into your eyes and knew… I _knew_ Michonne that you were all I ever wanted and needed."

 _Fuck him._ Her inner voice shouts. _Strip him naked, kiss every inch of him, and ride him into glory. Fuck. Him._

She shakes her head, trying to clear the lustful thoughts from her mind. She's rock to her core by his confession. Her heart soars with each word he speaks.

"I… think… I ne-" She stammers.

"And that's your fuckin' problem," He snaps.

"My problem?" Michonne asks shaking her head in surprise and disbelief at his crassness. He is supposed to be winning her over but this isn't helping.

"You think too damn much."

Michonne can feel her face crumple into her 'what the fuck' face. Rick doesn't find the face intimidating how it supposed to come across, he gives a dark chuckles.

"I think too damn much?" She repeats as if trying to better understand his words.

"I didn't stutter."

"Is this how you're supposed to win me over?"

"I already won you over… the summer is for you to realize it."

"Listen, you fuckin' cocky ass bast-"

Michonne doesn't have a chance to finish. Rick is upon her, seizing her lips and pressing his tongue into her mouth effectively silencing her. She supposed to be mad, they're supposed to be in the middle of their first fight but for the life of her she can't think of a coherent thought with Rick's lips on hers.

 _Make-up sex, now! Sex now!_ Her mind calls out. Her body agrees with the thoughts. She fist his tight and right brown shirt and pulls him close. His tongue strokes hers and caresses the roof of her mouth. Her knees buckle and she falls against him.

Rick's hands wrap around her waist before, he deepens the kiss and Michonne only thought is how she never wants the kiss to stop. As soon as the thought finishes, Rick pulls away from the kiss and looks into her eyes.

"Michonne, from the first moment I looked into your eyes I knew everythan' changed. You smiled and it felt like the world fell away and it was only us. Everythan' I wanted and needed was… is in that smile. You say we don't know each other and that maybe true, but I am willing to spend the rest of my life to find out everythan' there is to know about you. You asked how… and I can't answer that, but I do know that I love you, Michonne."

Her hands unclench the fabric of his shirt, she looks down and smooth the material before looking back up into his eyes full of candor, sincerity, hope and love.

Love.

Michonne's hands move up and cups his face, she searches his eyes and she feels a chamber of her heart slam opens.

"I can't stay it," She confesses. She expects the hope in his eyes to dim but they don't, he patiently waits for her to finish. His unwavering belief in them pulls a smile from her lips.

"I didn't ask you to," He replies.

"But you will. You're that type of man who wears his heart on his sleeve and you will want me to say those words to you and I don't think I can…" Michonne trails off.

"Yet."

"What?" She asks tilting her head.

"You don't think you can… yet," Rick says, his thumb brushes her full bottom lip in passing as her slides his hand to cup the side of her face. His other hand wraps around her waist and pulls her against his chest before he places his forehead against hers.

"Yet, that's what you were going to say. You were going to end that sentence with _yet_ but you stop because you're afraid,"

Eyes flutter close as he speaks, Michonne leans against him and closes her eyes as well loving how right it feels being in his arms.

"You're afraid but I am too. The way I feel about you frightens me to my core because I never thought I'll feel like this for another person and then here you are. I fell in love suddenly and completely and it scares this shit out of me."

They fall silent for a moment, swaying in each other's arm. When Michonne opens her eyes and locks onto blue spheres burning bright with love and she finds herself wanting to catch on fire.

"I can't stay it… not yet… but one day because there is something there... something here. I just want to say it with no doubts and as much convictions as you have."

The fire within his gaze intensify a smile pulls at the corner of his lips, "You will."

"That cocky?" She quips.

"That confident."

She laughs against his chest and he chuckles along before sobering up.

"We are really going to try this?" Rick asks, his blue eyes pouring into hers.

"We are really going to try this," Michonne replies.

He nods, his face tighten for a moment before he speaks again: "Promise one thing first."

"What?"

"Promise me first.""

"Any lawyer worth their weight reads the fine print before signing on the dotted line."

"Michonne," Rick says slowly dragging out the last syllable of her name it causes a shiver to snake down her spine, the way his blue eyes bore into hers doesn't help.

Michonne shakes her head and sighs, "Fine. I promise, now what did I promise to?"

"No overthinking and no walls, from the both of us! We are going to do this one hundred percent as husband and wife. We're going to do everything to make this work, no exit or back-up plans," Rick says, eyes boring into the depth of her soul.

Michonne nods, "I promise, one-hundred percent!"


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: HELLO ALL! Thank you so much for taking the time and reading, following, favoriting, and commenting. I appreciate it ALL! I read each comment and I love hearing your thoughts, views and comments. I was asked if we'll ever get flashback to the day Michonne and Rick met and spent together, hopefully we get something soon but sometimes the characters don't act according to what you want!**

 **Now that being said... all I have to say about this chapter is to pay attention. Appreciate you all! Comment/ PM and let me know what you think! Thanks all! - fithola**

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

"Gotdamn it, Rick!" Shane yells.

Startle by the outburst, Rick looks away from his from cellphone and asks, "What?"

"You're supposed to be paying attention to me and my sordid tales from the weekend, not smiling at your phone like a fuckin' school girl."

Rick chuckles, shaking his head as he slips his phone into the front pocket of his shirt.

"Are you texting Michonne?" Shane asks dragging out the O and N in her name.

"Continue with your sordid stories, I'm listenin'."

"Nah… nah… you missed your fuckin' chance! Now, I wanna know who you were textin'," Shane says reaching for Rick's phone.

He smack his partner's hand away before replying, "Yea, I was textin' my _wife_."

"Your _wife_ , huh?" Shane says with a raise eyebrow, "So your trip to Atlanta was that good?"

"It was a rocky start but it was good," Rick says smiling and nodding, "It ended well."

"Y'all fucked huh?" Shane questions wagging his eyebrows.

"Shit Shane!" Rick laughs shaking his head.

"So y'all didn't fuck?"

Rick quickly tells Shane about his weekend with Michonne; he mostly spent cleaning, cooking, and taking care of her while she was sick.

"Fuck man! Y'all only been married for over a week and she already has you whipped."

"I was just like taking care of her. She deserves it and more."

Shane chuckles at his friend, "Fuckin' whipped."

"Yea… a little," Rick adds chuckling himself.

Rick moves to speak again when he feels his phone vibrate against his chest. He pulls out the device and swipes it open; his hopeful smile drops as soon as he sees who the message is from.

"What?" Shane asks noting the change in Rick's mood and hearing his groan.

"It's Jesse."

"Jesse?"

"Yea… Anderson, Jesse Anderson."

Shane breaks out into a roar of laughter, "Your ex? The crazy bitch that I specifically told you not to date? That Jesse Anderson?"

Rick groans again and shakes his head, slipping his phone into his pocket and not bothering to reply to the message.

"She's not my ex," Rick grumbles.

"What does she want?"

"To hang out, I suppose."

"You ain't gonna respond?"

"Hell naw! That's begging for trouble."

Shane continues to chuckle, "So what are you going to do about her?"

"Not a damn thang, I'm sure it'll resolve itself soon."

"Fuck Rick," his friend says shaking his head, "Are you going to tell your _wife_?"

"There's nothing to tell her!"

Shane wipes the tears of laughter from his eyes, "Shit! This is going to get interesting."

XxXx00000xXxX

"Sorry, I'm late. Traffic is a bitch," Andrea says as she drops her purse in the empty chair before placing a kiss on the handsome dark haired man's cheek.

"You're fine. We haven't ordered yet and Michonne has been shit for conversation."

Andrea glances at the man, Aaron Connelly, then at Michonne who sits smiling down at her phone.

"No, I haven't," Michonne says absently.

"You've been smiling at your phone for the past twenty minutes."

"Who are you texting that's causing you to smile like that?" Andrea says reaching to snatch Michonne's phone out her hand.

Moving her hand out of reach, she replies, "No one."

"Are you texting Pretty Boy Rick?"

"No!" Michonne says fighting the forming smile on her face.

"You're a shitty liar."

"Who's Rick?" Aaron asks looking from Michonne to Andrea then back to Michonne, "I thought you were texting Ezekiel."

The smile drops from Michonne as her head snaps up at the name.

"Ezekiel?" Andrea breaks out into a loud laugh drawing several dirty glances to their table, "Oh… no…Ezekiel is old fucking news."

"Wait, what happened to Ezekiel? I thought we liked Ezekiel?" Aaron asks including himself into the group.

"We no longer like Ezekiel," Andrea answers for Michonne, "We fucking upgraded!"

"Upgrade? I thought he was perfect? He's a doctor! I thought you all were going to be the next Huxtable?"

""Ezekiel didn't text or call back," Andrea replies.

"He's busy! He's a doctor!"

"Andrea, I am pretty sure I can explain it myself!" Michonne says before turning to Aaron, "It doesn't matter if he is God, he should have replied even if it is to say he's busy. Anyways things weren't going anywhere with Ezekiel."

"We don't fuck with Ezekiel. We fuck heavy with Rick," Andrea chimes in.

"Who taught you how to speak? _'We fuck heavy with Rick_ '? I already told you about listening to all of that trap music," Michonne reprimands looking at Andrea with a disbelieving glare.

Andrea rolls her eyes and waves Michonne off before saying, "I love trap music. _Seventeen shots no thirty-eight_!"

"What?"

"I'm a trap queen!" Andrea adds.

"Ladies! Focus!" Aaron calls for their attention, "Who's Rick?"

"Rick Grimes, her husband."

"Husband?" He asks looking between Michonne and Andrea before settling his gaze on Michonne, "Rick Grimes? You mean the guy you married in Vegas and want to divorce?"

"Annul. It's an annulment," Michonne corrects slipping her phone into her purse.

"Same thing!" Andrea quips.

"If you want an annulment and this is a mistake why are you texting him? Shouldn't you be… I don't know… avoiding him?" the man asks. Michonne looks at Aaron, besides Andrea he is not only one of her co-workers at the law firm Washington, Brooks, and Connelly but also a good friend. Upon her return from Vegas she went to him and recounted the story of her Vegas wedding asking him to draw up annulment papers.

"Actually about that annulment…" Michonne trails off.

"You're not getting the marriage annulled? Why?" Aaron asks unbelieving.

"She's mesmerize by Pretty Boy Rick's slick thick-"

"ANDREA!"

She breaks out into a loud laugh as Michonne shakes her head.

"You are really not going to annul this marriage?"

"We're going to try to make this work."

"Marriage is serious business. It is not a game Michonne!" Aaron says being the divorce lawyer and expert of the three.

"I know, Aaron. I know but I want to try," Michonne says.

"Fine but just know the papers are ready, if you ever want them."

She only nods in response remembering the promise she gave Rick, one hundred percent.

"If he keeps dicking her down properly she will never need them!" Andrea quips.

"Andrea!" is Michonne tired reply. She turns her attention to Aaron and asks, "Speaking about marriage, how are the wedding plans going with you and Eric."

Aaron groans and rolls his eyes, looking exasperated.

"My mother is fucking determine to make this the wedding to end all wedding. She just hired a third wedding planner."

"Three? That's fucking extreme," Andrea comments.

"I know!"

"How's Eric handling it all?"

Aaron chuckles at the thought of his fiancé, "He loves it. He's fucking determine to be the bell of the ball."

Michonne adds to the laughter around the table, happy the conversation switch from her and Rick to someone else. She thinks about her own simple wedding with Rick, a warm smile crosses her lips at the memory.

XxXx00000xXxX

Her lush body presses against his, Rick relish the feel of his wife in his arms. The perfect combination of tone muscles and soft curves, she molds perfectly against him. With his hands wrap around her slim waist, Michonne leans back to look up into his eyes, a seductive smile singing across her lips. She leans up and steals a quick kiss.

"I'm hungry," he murmurs leaning down and stealing a kiss from her.

"Me too."

He slides his lips from hers to her ear, "Not for food."

Rick feels her shiver in his arms, he smiles against her ear and kiss the area below her earlobe before adding, "I want you for dinner. I want to taste you upon my tongue."

She shivers again clutching him tightly as he hears a soft moan slip from her lips. Pulling away from him, she looks into his eyes.

"I'm hungry too," She says in a throaty whisper, "But I also need food."

The second attempt to their first date is going well, he drove into the city earlier surprising Michonne with flowers before taking her to her favorite restaurant. As the couple wait for their table, the innocent flirting quickly shifts to needy touches and quick kisses.

"How about we leave, find some take out, and head back home?" Rick suggests. One hand on her waist as the other draw circles on the small of her back. Michonne nods and pushes up against him, taking his lips against her own. His tongue snakes into her mouth and she melts into him, a soft moan wafting into his open mouth as he deepens the kiss.

"MICHONNE!"

The booming voice jolts Michonne from his arm. She leaps several feet away from him as she looks in the direction the voice came from.

"Michonne!" the voice calls out again.

"Oh shit! Oh fucking shit!" She mumbles, straightening her locs and clothes as she begins to fidget with nerves.

Rick looks towards the caller of her name, he takes in the impeccably dress man as he marches toward them with his eyes lock on Michonne's.

"What is it? Who is he?"

"My Father. He's my father."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

 _Her father?_

Rick hides his surprise as he takes in the man. He's not particularly tall nor is he short; he's stocky with thick shoulders and walks with an authority, demeanor, and an aura of a seven foot giant.

"Your father?" Rick clarifies. He wants to be certain as he takes in the man who looks nothing like Michonne.

His eyes sweep over the man's East Asian features, Chinese perhaps Korean; his tailored suit is impeccable with shiny shoes, he's clean shaven, and his gray hair is coif stylishly. He looks distinguish oozing of wealth and power.

"Yes, Rick. My father… err stepfather to be more precise but my father none the less," Michonne grumbles out before turning and forcing a smile at the man, "Papa! Judge!"

She greets him with a hug. The man returns the hug warmly but all the while giving Rick a cold stare.

"Michy," the man says releasing her from the embrace. He places a kiss on one cheek then the other and finally one on her forehead. He smiles sweetly at her, his eyes full of love for his daughter. The smile falls away as he turns to face Rick, "Who is this?"

Rick quickly notes the lack of pleasantries and his bluntness, the man is straight to the point.

"Hi, I'm Rick Grimes," He starts extending his hand, "Michonne's hu-"

"Friend!" Michonne says quickly cutting him off as she steps slightly in between the two men, "He's my friend, Judge."

A wave of anger and hurt hits him in the center of his chest. He wants to stagger back at the blow but his feet is cemented into the ground in shock.

 _Friend?_

He looks down at Michonne with a hard look but doesn't correct her; instead he tries to catch her eyes which she expertly avoids. His mind goes to her promise of giving one percent.

"Papa this is my friend, Rick. Rick this is my father, Lee-Pak Rhee," Michonne introduces the two men making sure not to make eye contact with either one.

Lee-Pak takes his hand and give it a firm shake tightening his grip on Rick. Not to be out done, Rick tightens his grip on the older man and stares into his eyes refusing to cower in fear of the man.

"Mr. Lee-Pak Rhee," Rick greets him forcing a smile.

"Judge Lee-Pak Rhee," the man corrects him.

"Judge, sir."

The handshake and the eye glaring continues on longer than it needs to until Michonne steps in between them. She gently breaks them apart by putting a hand on each man's shoulder.

"Judge, what are you doing here?"

"Dinner reservation."

"I thought you hated this place?"

"Yes, but your mother loves it therefore I'm here. Do you have reservation as well?" Her father asks.

"No, we were going to wait for a table but we've decided to go someplace else. The wait is too long."

"Nonsense, you'll join us for dinner," her father says. It isn't a question or a statement but a demand that leaves no room to decline.

"But we-"

"No buts Michonne," he says cutting her off.

"Judge, mom and Maggie are… Michonne?"

Rick's grimace is pull from Michonne's father to the voice that calls out her name. The voice belongs to a young man, who comes to a stop at the gather group. His eyes fills with delight when he sees Michonne. He quickly reads the tension of the group and delight in his eyes turns to surprise and apprehension when he lock eyes with Rick.

"Hi Glenn," Michonne says with a strain smile. The young man is a younger replica of Michonne's father, except he doesn't own the same powerful demeanor and aura of the older man; he seems laid-back and has a quiet strength to him. He greets her with a warm smile as the two exchange a quick hug.

"Glenn is this Rick Grimes. Rick this is my little brother Glenn Rhee."

As the two men greet each other the pleasantries are cut short by their father's interruption.

"Glenn what were you saying?"

"Oh… uhh… mom and Maggie stopped in an antique store. Mom said to go ahead get a table and order a bottle of red wine."

Their father nods and turns to Rick giving him another cold glare before moving to the host's table where he smiles and greets the stranger warmly. When he is out of ear shot Glenn turns to Michonne and whispers harshly.

"Is this him? Is this the guy?"

Taken aback by the young man's statement, Rick glares at him before swinging a hard look at his wife. A storm of emotions shift through him at the situation, he doesn't know how to feel about the comment. He's mostly upset by Michonne's father and Glenn's reception of him but he also notes that her brother at least knows about him while her father clearly does not.

Michonne only nods, her bottom lip in between her teeth in nerves.

"Shit Michonne!"

"I didn't know you all would come here for dinner. Judge hates this place!"

"Shit, not tonight!" Glenn groans before adding, "Mom's been in a mood. Judge thought bringing her here will cheer her up."

"What's wrong with her now?" Michonne inquires a hint of concern covering her words.

The young man shrugs as he looks over to Rick in pity," I don't know but this… this is not going to help."

"Glenn if you love me you'll say nothing."

"I don't like lying to them, especially to Judge."

"And do you think I enjoy it?"

"We can just leave," Rick offers the moment before Judge returns to the three. His annoyance of the situation churning into anger, he tries to reign it in but find the tasks difficult.

"Come. Our table is ready!"

"We don't want to ruin your private dinner. We are actually just leaving," Michonne says.

"Too-late, you're joining us." It's another command, "Besides your mother would love to know who's throat you were trying to bury your tongue in."

Rick moves to speak but Michonne grabs and squeezes his arm. The pleading look in her eyes causes his temper to tamper down. He gives a curt nod before he looks at the man.

With clench teeth he says, "We'll love to join you."

Without acknowledging Rick, the man turns and heads into the restaurant. Glenn gives them a look full of pity before falling in step after him.

"Friend?" Rick growls out to Michonne once they're alone. Logic tells him it is too soon to tell her parents they are married, but at the very least she could have introduce him as her boyfriend instead as her _friend_.

"Please let's talk about this later!" Michonne says.

Rick stares into her brown eyes for a long moment.

"Please, Rick!" She pleas grabbing hold of his forearm again before squeezing gently.

"We _will_ talk about this later!"

She nods and breathes a sigh of relief, "Thank you."

"Judge?" Rick questions as they start towards the restaurant.

"Everyone calls him that," She replies with a shrug falling into step with him.

"Is he also the jury and the executioner?"

"No…" She answers. She pauses for a second then adds, "That's my mother."

* * *

 **A/N: Soooooo? Thoughts? Did anyone see that coming with Michonne and Glenn being siblings? The idea came from a blog I read and I was like: _ooohhhh... I like that, let's make it happen._ Next chapter will be the dinner... which should be interesting. Thank you for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing. All of it is MUCH appreciated! Thanks! - fithola**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: LOVES! First, I am SOOOOO SORRY, it took me so long to update this story but I make up for it with the length. Writing Michonne's mother proved to be slightly difficult, this chapter gets kind of tense but I have a couple of 'fun' chapters almost ready!**

 **I love reading your reviews and comments, THEY GIVE ME LIFE! I also LOVE how some y'all minds process and thinks. I SWEAR I'll answer some of the questions you have, like how can Rick afford a 10,000 ring. Just bear with me, I like the story to unfold and answer questions.**

 **Thank you for reading, commenting, favoriting, and following this story! It is truly appreciated, so please continue to do so.**

 **Anyways who is ready for dinner?**

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

 _Butter_ is an elegant posh restaurant in the heart of downtown Atlanta with an upscale southern home-style cuisine. The restaurant décor is simple but high-class with neutral hues and a modern minimalist style; soft lighting bathes the room in a warm ambiance and the live jazz music wafting around the room adds to the serene atmosphere.

Michonne remembers the first time she came to the restaurant. It was junior prom and the night turned out to be awful. The only thing pleasant about the night was _Butter_ ; she thought the place magical then and only became more enchanted with the restaurant as the years passed.

Now, Michonne curses the place for being so popular as well as herself for having similar taste as her mother.

Her eyes go to Rick, she notices the tick drumming against his jaw; it's been present ever since the introduction of him as her friend.

 _Friend, Michonne? You could have done better_. Michonne scolds herself.

It's true but as her father said, her tongue was buried down his throat and being caught by her father; she lost her sense and said the first thing that came to mind. It also didn't help that Rick was going to introduce himself as her husband. Even if that is true, she would rather ease into that conversation with her parents then dive in head first.

She chances a glance at him as she sits down, his normal cerulean eyes a shade of gunmetal blue as they bore into her. Michonne tries to smile as she pats his hand; his eyes narrow on her as the tick works overtime.

Judge doesn't sit right away, he notices some men at a nearby table and starts in their direction to greet them.

Before he departs he gives another order, "Order wine, you know what your mom and I like."

"Rick…" Michonne starts.

"Let's just get through dinner."

"Maybe it will not be that bad," Glenn says hopefully. Michonne and Rick both shoot him a doubtful look, "I said maybe."

Michonne turns back to Rick and reaches for his hand again, "Rick, I'm sor-"

"You said you wanted to talk about this later. Or do you really want to have this conversation now? In front of your father?" Rick asks cutting her off.

She nods and swallows the lump in her throat as an older server arrives at their table. The server takes their drink order, Michonne orders several chilled bottles of wine as Judge returns. He nods at Michonne's choices before dismissing the server.

"So Richard…" her father starts.

"It's actually Rick."

"Rick is derived from Richard, correct?"

"Yes, but everyone calls me Rick."

"Richard."

Anger flames his eyes, she discreetly reaches over to him and squeezes his thigh. Rick's eyes drop to her hand before he looks up at Judge again.

Judge smirks in triumph, "Richard, tell me about yourself."

XxXx00000xXxX

Rick barely says two words before Judge's attention is snatched away. He allows the reprieve to collect his anger.

"Vivian!" Judge stands and greets a sophisticated petite chocolate skin woman with straight gray and black hair. Similar to Judge, the woman is shrouded by an aura of majestic power radiating of high status and wealth. Judge kisses her cheek; she returns a smile as her eyes sweep across the table. Her eyes brightens at the sight of Michonne before dimming at the sight of him.

Rick sees the resemblance between the older woman and Michonne, especially in the dark brown eyes. The older woman is elegantly beautiful, effortless, the same beauty Michonne has. His mind can't help but wonder if this is a glimpse of how Michonne will look when she's older. Even in his anger, Rick warms at the thought of growing old with Michonne.

"Michonne," the woman coolly says. Michonne rises to her feet and gives her mother a quick embrace.

"Mother."

"Who do we have here?"

"Mother, this is my friend, Rick Grimes. Rick this is my mother, Vivian Rhee."

Bile rises in the back of his throat as the anger churns in the pit of his stomach causing his heart to beat violently, that word again: _friend._

"Ma'am, Rick Grimes." Rick forces a smile standing to his feet and extending his hand. She looks at the hand for several long seconds before she takes it begrudgingly.

"Vivian Rhee," She says her name as if the two words can bring mountains to their knees, as Rick looks into her eyes he has no doubt of the possibility.

"Pleased to meet you."

"Mr. Grimes."

"Please call me Rick."

"Rick," eyes so similar to Michonne's coldly regard him. Rick quickly places the look, it is not contempt, more distrust and disinterest.

"Rick?"

All eyes go to the new arrival at the table. Rick immediately recognizes her as one of the women from Las Vegas, the stoic brunette and Michonne's sister-in-law, Maggie.

"You know him?" Judge asks.

"Uhh… yes we met once before," Maggie replies glancing around the table. She locks eyes with Michonne for several beats before returning to her father-in-law. "Briefly, we meet briefly but Michonne has spoken about him before, so I feel like I kind of know him."

"Hmmph," Vivian murmurs pursing her lips together, "Too bad the same can't be said by the rest of us."

"Rick you remember Maggie Rhee, my sister-in-law?"

"A pleasure to see you again," Rick replies kindly.

Maggie gives him a tight smile, "Yes, nice to see you again."

Judge pulls out Vivian chair as Glenn does the same for Maggie and everyone takes a seat at the round table. Vivian sits at Judge's right side and Michonne takes a seat at his left with Rick taking the other side. Glenn sits between his mother and his wife, Maggie who in turns sits next to Rick. As they all take their seat, Rick notices he's sitting immediately across from Vivian. Her dark eyes ripping into him.

The server returns with empty glasses and several bottles of wine. Rick watches with narrow eyes as Vivian and Judge are both polite and respectful to the server who pours their wine. Vivian asks for several minutes to look over the menu, the server nods before leaving their table. They all are silent as they look over the menu.

"Judge, my love, has Michonne said anything to you about… this…" Vivian trails off looking Rick over before returning her eyes to her husband, "Rick?"

"No my love. This is the first time I'm hearing or seeing him."

"Hmmph," she murmurs again. Rick can hear the disapproval in the sound. "Grimes you say?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"From?"

"By the way of King's County, Georgia."

"Never heard of it," She says before sliding her eyes to Michonne who tenses once her mother's eyes latch onto hers, "Michonne… you look… well."

A tight smile fits across her face, "You as well, mother."

"We don't see you often."

"We see each other at least once a week."

"You weren't at Sunday family dinner."

"I was busy," Michonne calmly replies. Sunday evening, Michonne and Rick spent together on her couch eating soup and talking after their botched date the day before when Michonne got sick.

"We use to see you almost every day," Judge says putting his menu down.

"If you're so busy, what brings you here tonight?" Vivian asks.

"Rick and I were on our way to grab dinner."

"My love, Michonne is being modest," Judge starts, taking a sip of his wine before he continues, "She was tongue wrestling Richard while he groped her in front of the restaurant."

Vivian gasps. Glenn and Maggie visibly cringe. Michonne tenses but sits straight in her chair with her head high.

"I'm a grown woman, I-"

"Yes, but are you a whore as well?" Vivian fires back causing Michonne to slump slightly and bow her head.

His anger snaps at his resolve, he refuses to allow anyone including her parents to speak to her with such disrespect. Rick leans forward, he opens his mouth to speak but feels Michonne's hand on his thigh. He glances at her and she shakes her head slightly. Clenching his teeth and balling his fist, he remains quiet.

"We were only kissing."

"He looked like he was trying to impregnate your mouth," Judge comments.

"Judge!"

"You should know better than to present yourself lesser than a lady. You know better than to behave in such a manner, especially now with all of Georgia watching us," Vivian says.

"I know… I'm sorry, I wasn-"

"I know I didn't raise my daughter to behave so…" Judge trails off before he finishes, "loose."

"Do you do this with all of your _friends_?" Her mother asks taking a sip of her wine.

That word again: _friend_.

"Actually, Michonne and I are not only friends we are m-"

XxXx00000xXxX

"Dating!" Michonne cuts him off again. She can feel his eyes cut into the side of her face as his anger rises. She's going to have to make it up to him big time. She will deal with Rick's anger later but at the moment her more pressing concern is getting through the impromptu dinner with her parents. "Rick and I are dating."

"Dating?" Vivian asks.

"You have a boyfriend!" Judge states.

"Boyfriend?" Rick asks his head snapping at her.

 _Shit._ Michonne thinks. His anger boils into rage, she can feel him vibrating because of it. Maggie's eyes dart between the two and Glenn looks as if he's trying to decide whether to throw up or run.

"Yes. A boyfriend! Ezekiel," Judge answers.

"Ezekiel?"

"Dr. Ezekiel King," Vivian corrects.

"Dr. Ezekiel King?" Rick asks. Michonne feels his cool blue eyes burn into the side of her face.

"Richard, stop repeating everything, you're starting to sound like a damn parrot."

"Ezekiel was never my boyfriend!" Michonne says to her parents before turning to face Rick, she puts her hand on his balled fist and looks into his eyes. She almost flinches at his cold glare. The nerve on his jawline ticking furiously. "I do not have a boyfriend."

"Nonsense! You and the good doctor are seeing each other!"

"We dated for a couple of months but we haven't spoken in several weeks," Michonne says with eyes locked onto his. He calms a fraction but the tick still remains, his normally blue eyes look almost gray with rage.

"Are we ready to order?" the server asks slipping up to the table.

Judge orders appetizers for the entire table, not bothering to ask anyone what they may want. He then orders for himself and Vivian. Glenn and Maggie who have been quiet finally speak up and order their dinner. Rick glances down at the menu and orders the first thing his eyes land on while Michonne orders a small salad having lost her appetite.

"I'm glad to see you're at least watching what you eat. The older you get the harder it is to lose weight," Vivian starts.

"Mother please," Michonne begs.

"You're no spring chicken, so it is best that you watch what you eat. You do not want to be some fat mid-thirty year old black woman who can't find a husband, now do you?" She finishes.

From the corner of her eyes she can see Rick's mouth drop open before he can say anything Glenn intervenes.

"So… uhh… how long have you two been… uh… dating?"

Michonne is thankful for the change in conversation but she wishes it was any topic besides herself and Rick.

"A couple of weeks."

"Hmmph," Her mother grumps taking a sip of her wine.

"How did you two meet?" Judge asks.

"Work," Michonne lies.

"You're a lawyer too?" Her mother asks. Michonne can hear the hint of hope in her voice.

"No, I'm a Sheriff."

"In King's County?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Hmmph."

"And you two met at work?" Judge asks, eyes narrowing on the two.

"Rick escorted a guy up for court… that's how we met."

Michonne's head aches from all the lies she's telling. Her stomach churns with disgust at her cowardliness and guilt. The lies are a necessary evil, she knows there is no way she can tell her parents that Rick is her husband; that they met in Vegas, got married a day later and all of this took place two weeks ago. She can't tell them, at least not yet.

"Hmmph…. From a renowned surgeon to a small town sheriff?"

"There's nothing wrong with being a sheriff. A sheriff is a servant of the people, just like you Judge," Glenn says defending Rick. Rick gives Glenn a nod in thanks at coming to his defense.

"Glenn, honey pie, don't fantasize his job… he's a glorified mall cop with a gun babysitting a Podunk town."

"He's more than that! Rick was elected Sheriff of King's County and he didn't even campaign for Sheriff. His name wasn't even on the ballot, people love him so much they wrote in his name and he overwhelmingly won," Michonne informs them also coming to his defense. She can feel his mood shift and lighten a fraction.

"You say all of that as if I am supposed to be impressed," Vivian comments.

"Viv, my love, it is _slightly_ impressive," Judge observes. Vivian gives her husband an unimpressed look as she elegantly rolls her eyes. Michonne always marvels at how a woman can elegantly roll their eyes, yet her mother mastered the art with great ease.

She turns her unimpressed glare at Rick, "Well… Sheriff… I am not impressed."

Rick locks eyes with her mother, the glare exchanged between the two seems like Titans gearing up for war.

He tilts his head and evenly replies, "I am proud of what I do and I am damn good at it. I enjoy my job. I enjoy helping people. I enjoy… no, I love protecting and serving the people of King's County. You may not be impressed but the people of King's County are. I may not be a lawyer, judge, or surgeon but I do damn good work. "

Michonne beams with pride at Rick. She clutches his hand and gives him a supporting squeeze.

"Hmmph."

XxXx00000xXxX

Rick's annoyance at Vivian's constant 'hmmph' murmurs eat at his resolve faster than her cool and quick jabs at him and Michonne. The condescending noise grates on his nerves; he wants to curse them then grab Michonne's hand and storm out of the uppity restaurant. His southern manner will not allow him to disrespect Michonne or her parents as much as he may want to; therefore, he doubles his efforts to keep his boiling temper at bay.

The server returns with a bright smile. He refreshes everyone's drink and tells them their appetizers will be ready soon. Vivian graciously thanks him before he leaves.

"God forbid if this goes further than _dating_ ," Vivian starts saying the word as if it tastes foul upon her tongue. She washes the taste with another sip of wine.

 _God forbid?_ Rick bites the inside of his cheeks so hard his mouth starts to fill with blood. He clenches his fist as Vivian continues, "You'll be the breadwinner."

"There's nothing wrong with being the breadwinner, mother."

"Being a wife, possibly a mother, a career woman, running the house, and making sure all of the family's finance needs are being met? It is a daunting and tiresome task."

"This is not the 1950s, it is possible. All of it."

"Before you and Judge met, you did it," Glenn defends her.

"After you and Judge married, you did it," Michonne adds.

"That was… is different."

"A marriage is a partnership… _my wife_ –"

"Wife?" Judge repeats narrowing his eyes on Rick.

Rick continues without pause, " _My wife_ will not be alone in these _daunting and tiresome tasks_ of providing, parenting, and taking care of our household. I will support her in every aspect of our marriage. If she wants to be the breadwinner than I will stay home with the kids. If she wants to be a housewife then I will make sure she wants for nothing."

Rick feels Michonne eyes upon him, he wants to look at her but he defiantly stares into Vivian's eyes. Those dark eyes so similar to Michonne's almost cause him to back down, almost.

"She will want for nothing? On what? A thirty-five thousand a year salary? Maybe forty thousand and that's me being generous. The shoes alone in Michonne's closet cost three times what you make. Michonne is accustomed to a certain life-style. You wouldn't be able to give her everything she _needs_ , let alone everything she _wants_."

"Mother!" Michonne hisses.

"Do not mother me, you-"

"This dinne-"

"Glenn won the bid for the Z Project," Maggie speaks up cutting off Vivian and Rick. Rick freezes at the name, turning to the stoic brunette.

"Congratulations, Glenn." Michonne says, a genuine smile crossing her lips at her brother's success, even though the tightness remains around the edge of her smile.

"Oh honey pie, that's wonderful news!" Vivian coos softening as she leans over and gives Glenn a kiss on the cheek before wiping at the area with the pad of her thumb.

Rick is taken aback at how quickly Vivian's demeanor change but more so he's surprised at hearing about the project Glenn is working on. "Z Project?" Rick asks.

"Z Project is the nickname given to the Zero Project being led by a fast growing company out of Macon. What's the name of the company, Glenn?" Maggie asks smiling wide as the argument from the previous moment fades away into something lighter.

"G. and Cunningham, it is a company that said to be revolutionizing safety and security. They've been around for years but it wasn't until a few years ago when they brought on a technological scientist Eugene Porter that the company exploded."

Rick stills and holds his breathe at the mention of the company.

"I've heard of G. and Cunningham, they're the company that won one of the national defense contracts with Homeland Security," Judge states.

"G. and Cunningham, it sounds familiar, isn't that the company you were brokering a deal with two years ago?" Michonne asks her mother.

"Actually, it's been over three years ago but yes. Ultimately my firm lost to another one; the company was purchased by the same security company that brought Vivint for 1.4 billion dollars."

"The company sold but the company is still doing National security contracts?" Maggie asks.

"If I remember correctly, the company only sold about forty-five percent of its equity, allowing the CEO and board members to maintain controlling power of the company," Vivian explains.

"Is the Z Project part of the defense contract bid, Glenn?" Michonne asks, Rick can hear the relief in her voice from the change of subject. He tenses at the subject wanting it to desperately change.

"No, the Z Project is something totally different, but part of the project is to build a high tech self-sufficient community along with a state of the art command center. Think of an underground bunker but not underground."

"Interesting," Rick murmurs.

"It is more than interesting, it is exciting. I am so proud of you honey pie."

Glenn shrugs his shoulders and shakes his head before moving to rub the back of his neck as he speaks, "My meeting today with the CFO, Morgan Jones, went very well; he loves the plans for the building and community. The other chief officers weren't available for the meeting today but Jesus will give another presentation tomorrow for Mr. Jones, Mr. Ford the COO and Mrs. Cunningham the President. We should know by Monday, Jones wants the project to start as soon as possible."

"Why aren't you presenting tomorrow?" Judge asks.

Glenn steals a quick glance at Maggie before he looks at Judge and then at his glass of wine, "I have another presentation."

Judge eyes narrows onto Glenn as he fidgets in his seat, "I thought the Z Project was the focus of the entire firm."

"My love," Vivian gently reprimands Judge before she smiles and rubs Glenn's arm "That sounds wonderful honey pie."

"There's still another bid on the project but the way Mr. Jones was talking, it sounds like we're a shoe in."

"Don't celebrate too prematurely," Judge comments.

"Yes, sir. I know."

"But congratulations, you earned this. I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, father!" Glenn beams with pride.

Rick takes in the family moment. He releases a slow breathe as he locks eyes with Glenn. "Congratulations, so you're an architect?"

"Yes, I'm a senior architect at Hilltop United."

"Stop being modest, honey pie. You're _the_ top senior architect and the youngest at Hilltop United. If it wasn't for you and that brilliant mind of yours that old fart Gregory would have lost his business," Vivian states.

"Gregory is not that bad once you know how to deal with him."

"If I were to call him a jackass, it would be offensive to donkeys," Vivian says. Glenn only chuckles at his mom.

Judge nods in agreement with his wife before he adds, "Gregory is a well-connected man. It is better to have him with you than against you."

Rick relaxes as the conversation moves away from G. and Cunningham; he immediately recognizes the name of the prominent architect firm, Hilltop United and its connection to the Z Project. He doesn't comment not wanting any more attention on himself or G. and Cunningham; he only makes a mental note of Hilltop United, Glenn Rhee, and their connection to G. and Cunningham, planning on doing research about the company later.

"Jesus presenting tomorrow? Is he off of probation?" Michonne asks.

"Stop calling that boy, Jesus. His mother named him Paul not Jesus," Vivian huffs giving an elegant roll of her eyes before taking a sip of her wine. Rick marvels at the elegant eye roll that's so similar to Michonne's that he almost smirks.

Glenn, Michonne, and Maggie all give a light chuckle.

"Yes he is, he's doing well after the incident," Glenn says with another chortle. Whatever the incident is, he knows it is nothing too serious, "Gregory is still watching his every move but he's mostly off of probation. You know, he asks about you all the time. He tells the same stories about you two that I've heard a thousand time."

Michonne shakes her head and chuckles. A burn of jealousy turns in his stomach as he looks at the side of Michonne's face; he makes another mental note to ask Michonne who this Jesus man is along with her ex-boyfriend, _Dr. Ezekiel King_.

As if on cue the Server returns with their appetizers placing small plates in front of each patron and the collection of food in the middle. Judge surprises Rick when he blesses the food once the Server leaves. He stares blankly at the man as he helps serve his wife, smiling lovingly at her as he does so. Michonne places a small helping of fried pickles and dip on her plate before she passes the serving plate to Rick. He follows her lead and adds items from the collection of appetizers to his plate.

"Michonne, don't you think that's enough bread dear?" Her mother asks as Michonne starts to place a small butter biscuit on her sparse plate. Michonne leaves the biscuit untouched and passes the serving plate to Rick.

"What do you do Maggie?" Rick asks placing a biscuit on his plate and one on Michonne's plate. The passive aggressive move is noticed by all but no one comments about it. He feels the dark burn of Vivian upon his flesh; he's not doing well to win her over.

"I'm the director of Alexandria Safe Zone Charity."

"ASZ? That charity does great work and not only for Atlanta but all the surrounding areas. I believe there's a charter in King's County."

"There is a charter in King's County, it is the newest one. ASZ is a great place."

"One of the largest non-profit woman and children's charity in the south," Vivian beams with pride.

"Maggie is an angel sent from heaven the way she loves on those hurt people, women and kids. She does excellent work!" Judge agrees.

Glenn leans over and gives his wife a kiss on the cheek. The woman blushes, she looks up at Michonne who smiles happily at her.

"What about you Michonne? How's work?" Maggie asks shifting the attention from herself to Michonne. Almost automatically the light mood of the table shifts at the mention of Michonne's job. Rick watches as Michonne shifts in her seat.

XxXx00000xXxX

Michonne stifles a groan, instead she sips some wine before putting down her glass.

"Work is going well. I'm working a high profile case with Laster an-"

"Is Laster the lead prosecutor?" Her father asks.

"Yes, he-"

"I am still baffled at how you were passed on being a partner."

Michonne feels Rick's eyes fall on her. She licks her lips and shrugs.

"Michonne is a partner," Rick declares. Vivian cuts her eyes at him before shifting them back to Michonne.

"Junior partner," Judge clarifies.

"Barely a step up from being an intern."

"Mother stop being dramatic, there is nothing wrong with being a junior partner."

"I do not understand how Andrea… became a senior partner and not you. Is she sleeping with one of the executive partners? That can be the only explanation."

"Andrea is not sleeping with any of the executives, she's not like that!" Michonne defends her friend.

"Really? Need I remind you about her and Dale Horvath?"

"Mother!" Michonne says angrily, "She loved Dale and they we-"

Vivian waves Michonne to silence with a graceful flick of her wrist and a roll of her eyes as she finishes Michonne's sentence, "Were married for eleven years. I know the tragic story."

"Mama Viv," Maggie pleads, "Andrea is smart."

"I'm not saying she's not, she's very smart using her vagi-""

"Mom!" Glenn pleas.

She softens at Glenn and pacifies him with a pat on his hand as she continues, "All I am saying is that Michonne is smarter and better than her."

"Mother please!"

"You are a force to be dealt with in court! You have the highest successful case wins at that damn firm!" Judge adds his voice rising slightly in disbelief.

Vivian moves to comfort her husband, "You are not known as Michonne 'the Shark' Carter without reason. What is Andrea's nickname the wh-"

"Mother!" Michonne snaps.

"Was it the buy in? I heard Deanna increased the price of the buy in to eighty thousand dollars," Judge says.

"Eighty thousand? That's a hell of a buy-in," Glenn quips.

"If you're not paying attention Sheriff that's at least two years of your salary."

"Mother!"

She ignores Michonne and states, "If you need the money, we will lend it to you."

"Nonsense, we will give you the money as a gift for making partner!" Judge commands.

"It is not the buy-in. I do not need the money."

Vivian shoots Rick a cool pointed stare before asking, "Votes?"

"Everyone loves you at the firm. I doubt you didn't have the votes."

"Please Papa."

"I should talk to Deanna and see if I can sway her to call another vote."

"That's not necessary, they'll do another vote in five months and I'm sure I'll make senior partner then."

"Five months?" Vivian questions with wide eyes a fork dangle in the air halfway to her mouth.

"That will ruin the plan!" Judge barks.

"You do not need me to make the plan work," Michonne says.

Her mother tsks, "We agreed upon this as a family!"

"You and Judge agreed upon this and dragged the rest of us along!"

"Speaking of the plan how is the camp-"

Judge cuts Glenn off with a hard look, he brings his stare to Rick before returning it to him. Glenn sighs and drops his head and focuses on his plate.

XxXx00000xXxX

No one speaks when the server returns with their meal. Rick can barely stomach the aroma of the food. He itches to snatch Michonne's hand and storm off away from the table and Michonne's parents. The way they talk to Michonne is appalling; especially her mother as if everything Michonne does is not good enough for the woman.

He knows the true reason she didn't make senior partner, it is simply because she didn't want to. She withdrew her name from the candidacy hours before the vote took place. He wonders why she just doesn't tell her parents her reason.

During the course of the conversation Rick leans in, wanting to tell the reason but Michonne squeezes his thigh again. He knows he is going to have a bruise where her hand pressed against him the entire night.

For several moments no one talks and Rick is thankful for the reprieve but the silence only adds to the tension that sits at the table. Their meals are placed in front of them as the small appetizer dishes are removed; Rick notices his and Michonne's plate have barely been touched. Once the table is settled with steaming hot plates of food and drinks refilled, the server silently leaves.

Judge is the first to start eating and the others follow his lead. Glenn starts the conversation again when he asks his mom about her financial firm. She cheerfully answers him; Rick happily ignores her as he watches Michonne from the corner of his eye. He chews his food slowly, while Michonne pushes hers around her plate. She hasn't taken a single bite.

He leans into her and catches her eyes, the sadness in her brown eyes cause his heart to ache in pain. He fights the urge to pull her into his arms to comfort her. He reaches over and touches her right wrist. She looks down at his hand before glancing back to his eyes.

He leans in closer and whispers: "We can leave, Michonne. Say the words and I'll take you away from here."

He can see the indecision dancing within those brown eyes. After a long pause she discreetly shakes her head no. Rick nods and looks up to find both Judge and Vivian staring at them. Judge stares at him with distrust and peak interest while Vivian stares at him with distaste. Rick focuses his attention to Maggie who helms the conversation, Rick pieces the bits he hears together to figure out she's talking about her family.

"Beth has an equestrian competition in London in a few weeks, Glenn and I are flying out there to support her."

Vivian sighs and shakes her head slightly, "Noah also wants to go."

"You should consider allowing him to go, Maggie and I will be there. We'll watch over him," Glenn offers.

"The boy has been begging us for the last two weeks," Vivian confesses.

"If there's a break in his schedule we may allow it," Judge comments.

"How is Noah, I have not seen him in a while?" Michonne asks trying to join the conversation.

"Of course it's been a while since you've seen your baby brother! You don't come to family dinners!" Vivian replies coldly.

Immediately Michonne's shoulders drop in defeat. She holds her chin up defiantly but the look of overwhelming sadness wrenches his stomach.

"He's taking classes at Morehouse this summer, right?" Maggie asks trying to defuse the brewing tension.

"Composition and History 101."

"He's not pleased but the courses will aide his academics resume," Vivian says.

"When is his next game? I want to come and see him play but he always answers my texts late," Glenn states.

"I'll look up his schedule and let you know honey pie."

He nods before he glances at Michonne and tries to pull her into the conversation, "Yes, let us know. Michonne you should come too, we'll make it a big family event. We could go get pizza afterwards like we use to."

She smiles at his offer, "That sounds great. I love watching Noah play."

"Really? Is that why you missed his last three games?" Vivian jabs at her, immediately Michonne's smile falls.

"I missed a few of his games as well," Glenn says coming to his sister's defense.

"Perhaps but at least you make an effort. When was the last time Michonne even talked to Noah?"

"In fairness to Michonne, Noah is pretty busy. I barely see the boy myself and I live with him," Judge defends Michonne. She smiles weakly at him.

"Hmmph."

Silence returns for several minutes at the table. Rick's temper sits at the back of his throat; he now along with Michonne, pushes their barely touched meal around their full plates.

"Beth tells me that Noah's team has a good chance at winning national's this year," Maggie starts.

Judge and Vivian both brag on their youngest son for several minutes. Rick can see their love for their children especially Noah, who Rick surmises is both their biological son. He also notices Vivian heavily favors Glenn while Judge tends to favor Michonne but not quite to Rick's liking. He doesn't know the complete story between Michonne and her mother but he feels Judge shouldn't allow his wife to cut down their daughter as she did during the course of dinner.

"Your son plays baseball?" Rick asks.

"No AAU basketball, he's the star shooting guard for the Vikings; they are one of the top ten teams in the country," Vivian brags.

"My son, an upcoming sophomore, plays AAU baseball for the War Hawks varsity, _the top_ baseball team in the country. Rick retorts with a smirk.

"You have a son?" Vivian asks with wide eyes.

"Yes, I have a fifteen year old son, Carl, and a four year old daughter, Judith," Rick says with pride.

"I assume you are divorced."

"Yes, sir."

Vivian inhales deeply before she exhales shaking her head in distaste. She lifts her head and rolls her shoulder back one at a time. Her brown eyes grow darker as she glares at Michonne.

"Mom… plea-"

Glenn is cut off with a flick of her manicured hand.

"Is this what this is about? You're trying to replace –"

"Mother no!"

"Is this the reason you didn't make partner? Is this the reason you're ruining the family's plan? Because you rather play mammy to his children because of An-"

"JUDGE!" Michonne snaps cutting off her father. His eyes grow large with shock at her tone.

"You go from a highly educated successful surgeon who's one of Atlanta's most eligible bachelors to this hick-town divorced sheriff with two children? And you're telling me this has nothing to do with –"

"No. I doesn't! I lov-" Michonne cuts off her sentence. His head snaps to the side of her face.

"You what Michonne? You love him? We've gone through this before," Vivian huffs in a humorless laugh before she coolly continues, "I should have figured, we were due for another one of your breakdowns!"

"Mom…" Glenn whispers.

She ignores Glenn and focuses the entire weight and force of her dark brown eyes onto Michonne, "This…we… we are all in pain, whether you want to believe it or not we all feel the pain of his loss… we all feel it. We have all dealt with it but you still try to find an escape, I thought you were over this. I thought you were stronger than this but I fear I was wrong. I am disappointed in you. He would have been disappointed in you. Your behavior is appalling."

Michonne's crumbles, her eyes drop to her plate; her shoulders shake as she sobs silently, her tears pouring from her eyes. Seeing Michonne normally strong and proud helplessly falling apart from her mother's attack causes his anger to erupt. He chides himself for not ending this horrendous dinner earlier, for allowing it to continue this long.

"You think just because you spread your legs for this man that –"

"ENOUGH!" Rick roars.

Several restaurant patrons' eyes move to their table.

"Enough! You will not talk to Michonne like that. I refuse to idly sit and allow you to speak to my wi-"

"Please Rick!"

Her quiet pleas silence him. Her voice, the soft quiver stops him before he can truly rip Vivian apart. Clenching his jaw he turns to gaze at her, his heart aches at the sight of her tears.

"I know she's your mother but I will not allow her continue to disrespect and speak down to you as if you're not an amazing accomplished woman," Rick says to his wife.

"And if you think I will sit idly by while you disrespect _my wife_ and the mother of _my children_ then you are sadly mistaken. Vivian may be hard with her approach but she is not wrong!" Judge speaks low through clench teeth.

"I was raised to mind my manners and respect my elders but you are a coward for allowing _your wife_ to tear done _your child_ with so much glee. She's a malicious b-"

He feels the power of her wrist flicking up to cut off his words the same moment he feels Michonne's hand on his. She squeezes his hand as hard daggers are thrown by her mother at him before she turns to Michonne.

"Michonne," She calls out, "Michonne!"

She lifts her teary face and Rick's heart clenches.

"Allow me to end… end this… whatever this may be," Vivian says leaning in looking from Michonne to Rick then back at Michonne, "You claim you love him but have you told him? Have you told him about Andre? Have you told him what you did?"

Michonne inhales deeply, she pulls her hand away from his and pleas with her mother, "Please Mother… Please!"

"That's what I thought," Vivian turns a triumph smirk to Rick, "You may go now."

"Michonne," he calls out.

"I'm so sorry… Rick, I'm sorry."

"Michonne whatever it is we can work it out," He says as she avoids looking at him, he moves to touch her hand and she flinches away from his touch.

"Richard, you should leave," Judge orders.

"Come with me," He pleas his eyes only on weeping face. She pulls her watery eyes to him and his doubles in pace at the sight of pain that resides in her usually bright eyes. His only desire to hold her and take away the pain.

"Come with me," He repeats.

As she reaches for his hand her mother speaks, "Tell him what you did and let's see if the Sheriff will still look at you the same. Tell him."

Her eyes grow wide as she takes in his face before they close against her mother's words. Michonne pulls her hand away from his, the tears doubles their race down her face.

"I'm sorry," She whispers. He nods fully understanding her even though she doesn't see his action. Rick leans into her placing a soft kiss on her temple above her teary right eye before sweeping out of the restaurant.

XxXx00000xXxX

Michonne cries harder once Rick leaves. The comfort and peace of his presence goes along with him. Her cries garnish stares from the other tables.

"Enough of that Michonne," Vivian chides.

"Enough Vivian, enough!" Judges states. He pulls Michonne into his arms and allows his daughter's tears to soak his expensive suit.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hello! I know last chapter was rough. I tried to make Mama Viv and Judge light... but they didn't cooperate and we got that harrowing dinner scene (see even with me they don't listen). Sorry for that tense moment but a few lighter ones are coming. Everything with Andre will be revealed, I already wrote that part along with other aspects of the story. I just have to connect everything.**

 **I forgot last chapter but a SUPER BIG THANK YOU TO QUIETGIRL72! Thank you so much for editing the chapters and your thoughts. It is truly appreciated! Seriously *hearteyes*!**

 **Thank you for reading, favoring, following, and commenting! It is all appreciated! I read every comment and take your thoughts and views into consideration. Once again thanks! - fithola**

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

Rick sits in his office finishing up some paperwork when his door violently swings open and Shane marches in.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Grimes?"

"Couldn't sleep."

"So you came into work?"

Rick glances at the clock, it is a little after midnight; he should be asleep. Actually he should be in the arms of his wife. After the disastrous dinner with Michonne's parents, Rick drove the hour and a half back home but instead of actually going home he decided to head into the station. With Carl and Judith gone for another week at his mother's, he didn't want to be in an empty house.

"Thought I could catch up with some paperwork."

"Could you do mine while you're at it?

"Hell no!"

"It was worth a shot," Shane chuckles before plopping down in one of Rick's guest chairs and putting his feet up on his desk, "So how was the date with the misses? I would have thought you would have stayed in the city with her for the night."

Rick groans before running his hand over his face and sitting back in his chair.

"That bad?"

"We ran into her parents."

"Oh shit!"

"Then we ended up having dinner with them."

"Oh shit!" Shane says with a chuckle, "Safe to assume it didn't go well?"

"If it did go well I wouldn't be here. I would be with my wife… this.. this.. was-"

"That bad?"

"It started as an interrogation then become a form of torture that was so bad that ISIS would be jealous."

Shane sharply inhales, "Fuck."

"Fuck is an understatement."

"What fucking happened?" Shane asks throwing his feet off Rick's desk and leaning towards his best friend.

Rick sighs and shakes his head as the memories of the dinner come back to him, he winces at the cruelty of Michonne's parents. He briefly recounts the tale of the torturous dinner with Michonne and her family.

"It was only y'all and her parents?" Shane asks interrupting Rick's tale.

"Her brother Glenn and his wife, Maggie, were there."

"Maggie? I feel like I may have fucked a Maggie."

"You probably did but not this one. She's was in Vegas too, the brunette."

"The lesbian cock-blocker who blocked Daryl? The one Abraham was trying to fuck?"

Rick chuckles at Shane's crudeness, "Nah, the stoic one."

"The one with resting bitch face?"

"Yea."

"She just needs a good dick down!"

"She's married."

Shane gives Rick a disbelieving face, "You act like that's stopped me before."

"She's married to my wife's brother!"

Shane shrugs, "So Maggie didn't snitch about y'all being married?"

"No."

"Hmmm…she looks like the type who would snitch," Shane comments.

"She played along with the entire lie."

"Does the brother know?"

"Yea, Glenn knows we're married but her parents do not. I came close to telling them several times but Michonne didn't want them to know. She introduced me as her friend."

Shane burst out in a chortle, "Shit."

"I understand why she didn't introduce me as her husband but I couldn't even get an introduction as her boyfriend. Just her fucking friend."

The anger from earlier rises from the memories.

Shane laughs at his friend's discomfort for lying, "What else happened? They were grilling you and tearing down the misses, how did you survive dinner?"

"Honestly? We didn't," Rick releases a heavy sigh and pinches the bridge of his nose, frustration rolling off of him in waves.

"Fuck, man. I'm sorry."

"Glenn and Maggie, they kept shifting the conversation when it became too uncomfortable or tense. It is like her parents do not like her. The family dynamic is fucked up. They would praise Glenn and Maggie but Mich- Michonne, they would cut her down and berate her at almost every chance. She's like the black sheep of the family. Her mother even had the audacity to call her fat."

"Get the fuck out of here! She has a banging body, she has a fat ass maybe but that's a good thing. I wou-"

Rick sends Shane a hard glare cutting off his praise of Michonne's body.

"That's my wife."

Shane has the decency to look embarrassed, "No disrespect, Rick. You know I would never… I'm just stating the obvious."

"I know," He nods knowing Shane means nothing from his comment but his frustrations from the entire situation cause his temper to shorten.

Shane breaks the eye contact and rubs the back of his neck. "So… how is she the black sheep?"

Rick sighs and looks around his office as if the walls held the answers he was searching for, "I don't know how, but I do know everything she did or said wasn't good enough and pissed off her mother."

"And her Dad?"

"Judge-"

"Who the fuck is Judge?"

"Her father."

"She calls her father Judge?"

"Yes," Rick sighs pinching his nose trying to relieve the pressure of his frustration and anger.

"Shit, is he the jury and executioner as well?"

"That's what I fucking asked her!"

"And?"

"That's her mother."

"Fuck."

"I thought Michonne was joking," He pauses and sighs, shaking away the memory of the dinner, "Judge, her father was relatively decent to her but he shouldn't have allowed his wife to talk to Michonne the way she did. Fuck… I shouldn't have allowed Vivian to talk to Michonne the way she did. I left her."

"Rick-"

His shoulders slump and he shakes his head in defeat, "I left her. I shouldn't have left her. I should have shut that shit down as soon as they started. I shouldn't have allowed it to go that far."

Guilt. The frustration and anger that boiled within him gave way to the true emotion eating at the center of his gut, guilt. Rick goes on and finishes recounting what occurred at dinner, ending his tale with how he left Michonne at the mercy of her parents.

"This ain't your fault."

"Nah… but I should have stopped it. Her father is a coward for not stopping his wife but I'm just as bad. I'm a fucking coward for not protecting my wife when she needed me. I fucking left her. I should have stopped them. I should have thrown Michonne over my shoulder and carried her ass out of that restaurant."

Shane chuckles at the imagery, "Michonne is a grown woman. From what I hear, this shit with her parents ain't new. She's gonna have to deal with it sooner or later. You carrying her ass out would have saved her from one conversation but she needs to battle this out."

With wide eyes Rick takes in the wisdom of his normally crass friend. He slowly nods agreeing with Shane even though he doesn't like the thought.

"Listen, I know you feel guilty because…. Fuck you wouldn't be Rick Grimes if you didn't try to carry the fucking weight of the world on your shoulders. I ain't saying for you not to be there, I'm saying that this is ultimately Michonne's war. All you can be is her support system."

"How? How do I support her? I don't know how to let her fight this battle and help her at the same time."

The two men are quiet for a moment until Shane speaks up, "You have to be there for her and let her know that you love her just the way she is."

Rick looks into Shane's brown eyes, he sees the blanket of sadness and remembers Shane always being over at his place anytime Rick's parents would allow. He nods remembering his friend's rough childhood, hoping he can be the same support to Michonne he was to Shane.

"Someone died, someone the family cared about and it seemed like Michonne had something to do with it."

"She didn't tell you?"

A deep frown rests upon his face as he shakes his head.

Shane leaps to his feet, his sudden movement startling Rick. He moves behind Rick's desk, Shane taps Rick's keyboard to wake the computer. "We can look it up. What's her last name, Cooper?"

Rick thinks for a moment. He could use his police access to look up any death related to Michonne. Shane taps on the keyboard and pauses looking at Rick.

"How do you spell Michonne? O…"

Rick snaps out of his spell and pushes Shane's hand away from his keyboard.

"I do not want to look it up."

"Why?" Shane pouts reaching for Rick's keyboard.

"I want her to tell me! If I look it up I'm breaking her trust."

"Do you think she'll tell you?"

Rick remembers how she almost said she loves him, his heart flutters with hope, "Yes… she'll tell me."

"Are you sure because a few keystrokes and we'll have all the answers we need."

"Nah…" Rick holds onto the memory of Michonne's almost confession, "She'll tell me."

XxXx00000xXxX

Sitting in his squad car the next day Rick talks to Carl, catching up with his son while on lunch break. He's still troubled by the previous night's dinner with Michonne and her parents but speaking with his son brightens his mood some. His passenger door opens and Shane hops in dressed as a civilian, in a t-shirt and jeans. The deputy shouldn't be there, he should be at home asleep having worked the last four nights on a graveyard rotation. Shane's eyebrows raise in question at Rick, wanting to know who he's on the phone with.

"What did you say, Carl?" Rick asks not hearing the last thing Carl said.

"I said when are we going to go shopping for a new glove and cleats?"

"Carl? Let me talk to my favorite nephew!" Shane calls out next to him reaching for Rick's phone. He bats his hand away and continues with his son.

"We can go shopping next weekend, when I come pick you and your sister up."

"Okay, cool! When are you driving in?"

"I'll be there before noon, next Friday."

"Cool! Are we still going to do a bonfire on the beach like last time?"

"Of course!"

"Great! I can't wait… I miss you!"

"Miss you too son," Rick says with a wide smile, "Shane wants to say hi!"

"Uncle Shane with you?"

"Yea."

"You said he was off… I bet he only came to mooch lunch off of you,"

Rick laughs as he looks up and sees his lunch order is ready, "You know your uncle so well."

Rick passes his phone to Shane, he then slips out his car to go pick up his lunch order at Jackie's a drive up barbeque pit hole-in-the-wall grease joint. The place has no sitting area inside the tiny restaurant but there is always a line that runs outside the door and wraps around the small building twice.

As Shane talks to Carl he watches Rick pick up his order before he's stopped by Mr. and Mrs. Niedermeyer, Shane's thankful it is not him trapped by the ancient talkative couple.

"Aw'ight kid, kiss the little princess for me and see you soon."

"Will do, Uncle Shane."

Carl disconnects from the line and Shane puts Rick's phone in his cup holder as he waits for his best friend to return with the meal that Shane plans to rob him of.

He watches Rick force a smile as he talks to the old couple who's been married since the dawn of time. Shane thinks about Rick and his new wife, Michonne, and how happy his best friend was at the beginning of the week texting Michonne like a school girl.

A crazy thought crosses Shane's mind, before he can think better of it he picks up Rick's phone again. He knows there's a good chance Rick will be mad but he goes on with his plan. He finds the number he's looking for and sends a thoughtful message.

XxXx00000xXxX

Michonne's phone chimes, before she has a chance to pick it up Andrea beats her to it.

"Give it back!"

"Ohhh…. It's a message from your hubby!"

"Give it back!" Michonne snaps.

Andrea springs to her feet and walks away from Michonne, who quickly leaps to her feet and follows after her. Michonne has been in a foul mood all morning, Andrea could easily understand after hearing in detail about the harrowing date with Rick, Maggie, Glenn and her parents. Michonne's parents are intense, even after knowing them for fourteen years they still frighten her. It also doesn't help, Michonne's mother outright dislikes everything about Andrea.

Andrea rounds Michonne's desk as her friend gives chase. She punches in Michonne's code unlocking the phone and reads the new message.

"Andrea! I'm not fucking around!" Michonne yells. Michonne reaches for her phone but Andrea dodges her grasp.

"He says sorry about last night but he wants to make it up to you with a barbeque for you and your friends!"

Michonne finally succeeds with snatching the phone away from Andrea. She reads Rick's message: _I'm sorry about last night but we need to talk. Last night was heavy, let's keep it light. A barbeque in King's County invite your friends. We can talk then._

Michonne huffs, a frown settles on her face as her heart doubles in pace at the mere thought of talking to Rick especially after the previous night.

"You're not going to respond?"

"No… I think we need some space."

"Fuck that, the last thing you all need is space."

"Andrea… I th-"

"You all need to talk about what happened last night."

"We fucked up… I fucked up… I didn't go with him. I allowed my parents to disrespect me and him… how do I go back from that? He called my father a coward but in truth I am. I should have… may- maybe it is best this way."

"Bitch! I fucking swear for being as smart as you are you sure do dumb shit!" Andrea says. Andrea starts to sit in her seat returning to her case brief, Michonne does the same placing her phone face down on her desk. Before Michonne can react Andrea snatches Michonne's phone again and races to her private bathroom adjacent to her office. Andrea locks the door behind her just as Michonne reaches it. She screams, threatens, and beats on the door as Andrea sends a reply to Rick's message.

XxXx00000xXxX

"What the hell did you do?" Rick panics looking at the sent, received, and read text message to Michonne.

"Relax," Shane starts smiling as he pulls Rick's lunch out from his hand. He pulls out the large order of French fries from Rick's lunch bag and stuffs a handful in his mouth.

"Shit Shane! What did you fucking do?"

"I'm helping you!"

"This is not helping. This is giving me a fucking heart attack, the way we left thangs last night… it's too fucking soon. Fuck Shane," Rick yells.

"Too fucking soon? Y'all fuckers got married after a fucking day, this shit needs to happen soon before the shit can fester," Shane says coolly ripping open Rick's brisket sandwich and taking a big bite.

"What if she says no? What if she doesn't answer? What if she doesn't want to see me again? I left her at that restaurant! I left her with them!"

Between bites Shane comments, "After you asked her to come with you and she didn't! That's on her not you."

"I should have kept my cool. I shouldn't have snapped. I shouldn't have left her. I shouldn't have called her mother malicious. I shouldn't have called her father a coward. What if she doesn't want to try?"

With his mouth full, Shane takes Rick's soda and swallows several gulps before he turns to his friend, "Didn't you read the text I sent? That's why I invited her friends, make it light, make it seems more causal and fun, plus I wouldn't mind seeing that sweet ass Andrea again."

Rick looks at his best-friend with wide eyes as he takes another bite of his sandwich. Before Rick can say anything to Shane, his phone rings once and vibrates signally a new message.

XxXx00000xXxX

Andrea opens the restroom door to find a seething Michonne waiting for her. Michonne snatches her phone from Andrea and stalks to her desk. She reads the message Andrea sent on her behalf: _Yes, we need to talk. A barbeque sounds light. I'll let the girls know._

"I can't fucking believe you!" Michonne spats.

"I'm just helping you!"

"How is this helping Andrea?"

"You're the one who said you're willing to try, this is you trying!"

"'I'm going to cancel!"

"You made a promise to fucking try, Michonne!"

Michonne collapse in her chair with a heavy sigh, "I know but with the campaign and the way Rick left… I don't know. I'm surprised he even wants to see me."

"Of course he wants to see you plus you're not thinking of this clearly."

Michonne only raises her head and looks at Andrea with a raised eyebrow.

"Sasha and I will go with you, we can be your buffers and I'm sure Rick's friends will be there as well. Also you should invite Glenn and Maggie; the better they know him the more likely they'll vouch for him with Judge and your mom. And this is just another great way to get to know him better. If things get too heavy or go downhill, we can sweep in and snatch you out of that house so fast that if you wore a wig it would be left behind."

Michonne considers Andrea's words for a moment. When her phone chimes again. Andrea makes no move to take her phone away, Michonne reads Rick's message.

"What did he say?"

"He's asking if tomorrow at 4pm will work?"

Michonne watches as Andrea grimaces as her mind races.

"What is that face for?" Michonne asks.

"I was hoping he'll say Sunday, so I have enough time to get my lady parts shaped up."

"What?" Michonne asks.

"Shane… he's probably going to be there and I was hoping we could reconnect, figuratively and literally."

"Andrea," Michonne groans, "You did this to see Shane again? I thought you were going to be my buffer? You said if things go downhill you'll be there for me!"

Andrea waves her hand at Michonne in a shoo-away manner, "I know what I said! Shane, he's just a bonus. I did this for you and Rick! I want to be ready for Shane when things goes well for you and Rick, Shane and I can possibly sneak away and you know… reconnect."

Michonne rolls her eyes at Andrea.

"So?"

"So what?" Michonne asks.

"Are you still going to cancel?" Andrea questions, her eyes bright with hope.

Michonne thinks for a moment and replies, "What should I say in response?"

"Tell him ok and ask him what we should bring."

Michonne nods and sends the message. She looks up from her sent message to see Andrea gathering her files and case briefing.

"Where are you going?"

"I think I can get an emergency appointment to get my lady parts shaped up with Carrie late this afternoon and I need to get my eyebrows, nails and toes done," Andrea answers as she stuffs her things in her briefcase before she hustles out of Michonne's office. Michonne shakes her head as she watches her friend leave. She sits in silence, suddenly a slow wave of anxious nerves sweep over her at the thought of seeing Rick again.

XxXx00000xXxX

"Shit. She said yes," Rick says in awe, looking at his phone. A surge of hope races across his chest. This… they can make it work.

"Wipe that goofy ass look off your face," Shane quips stuffing fries into his mouth, "I knew she was going to say yes."

Rick smiles wider at the thought of seeing Michonne and making up with her.

"So when are we going to have this barbeque? Sunday? Make it a real Sunday Funday, if you catch my drift," Shane says wagging his eyebrows.

"No, tomorrow at 4pm," Rick says sending the message to Michonne.

"That soon, huh?"

"Yea, I'll tell Daryl, Abraham, and a couple of others."

"Are you going to invite Carol?"

Rick's head snaps up to Shane, an eyebrow raised in question, "What's wrong with Carol?"

"After her divorce she's a bigger cock-block than Abraham."

"Carol is a good friend plus she's dating that guy… Tobin."

"He must not be fucking her right because she looks and acts more evil now than during the fucking divorce."

Chuckling Rick shakes his head, "Damn Shane."

"I'm just saying... she needs better dick in her life."

"Are you offering?" Rick jokes.

"Fuck no!"

Rick's phone rings and vibrates, another message received.

"What did your wife say?"

"She's says that's fine and asks what to bring."

Shane chuckles, "Do you want the rest of your lunch?"

"Nah… I don't think I can eat," Rick answers the hope in his chest melding with nerves.

"Good because I ate it all," Shane says tossing the empty lunch bag at Rick. He pushes the passenger door open and steps out the squad car. Rick watches his friend incredulously as he walks to his own truck. As Shane gets in his car he yells back at him with a laugh.

"Tell her to bring dessert."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hello All! Sorry about the wait with the update! Thank you for sticking with me! As always thank you for favoring, following, and commenting it is all truly appreciated. A special Thank you to QuietGirl72, thank you for taking the time out and editing. I appreciate it!**

 **Hope you all enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

After getting off from work, Rick goes to the grocery store and stocks up with items needed for the impromptu barbeque. When he arrives home he spends time marinating the meat and doing other prep work to get the food ready for the following day.

Sleep doesn't find him easily, he's up from bed before dawn, knowing there's a lot to do before Michonne, her guests, and his guests arrive at 4pm.

Rick deep cleans his already neat house from top to bottom, by 10am he moves outside to start on his yards. He mows both the front and back yard, trims several bushes that frame the wrought iron railing on his front porch before sweeping the porch. He does the same with the back deck before picking up any loose debris and stuffing them into large lawn bags. He takes a few minutes to pick up any loose leaves that have fallen into the pool, thankful that he had it cleaned earlier in the week. By the time he's done it is almost 3:30pm

"Fuck!" Rick laments knowing he still needs to get the grill started and take a shower. Hearing his front door bang open, he rushes toward the front door in a panic, his guest are early.

"Fuck Grimes!" Shane yells strolling into his house and taking in his appearance, "You ain't dressed yet?"

"I was cleaning the house."

The door swings open after Shane, Daryl walks in carrying two casserole dishes while Shane holds two cases of beer.

"From Denise?" Rick asks.

"She was going to come but she got called into the hospital, sent the food instead."

Rick nods his thanks as he reaches for the dishes.

"Nah… Go on and get cleaned up," Daryl drawls.

"I need to light the grill."

"We'll handle it," Daryl assures him.

"She'll be here any minute."

"We'll play host," Shane says, "Plus I know women, they'll be at least ten to fifteen minutes late."

Rick nods and heads up the stairs to shower.

"That man is so fucking whipped!" Shane says shaking his head.

"Says the man who changed his fuckin' outfit three times," Daryl grumbles heading into Rick's spotless kitchen.

XxXx00000xXxX

"Shit, we're late!" Michonne gripes fidgeting nervously beside Andrea.

"Relax, we're fashionably late," Andrea says.

"I hate being late!"

"We know! You mentioned it at least four times," Sasha speaks up from the back seat.

"In the last thirty minutes," Tara adds from besides her.

"I just hate being late."

"We know," Tara and Sasha say in unison.

"Early is on time. On time is late. Late is –"

"Unacceptable!" Andrea, Tara, and Sasha finish for her.

Sasha rolls her eyes and adds, "Geez… you're sounding a lot like Judge and Aunt Viv."

"Look we're here!" Andrea yelps.

Michonne looks up to the house. She's not sure what she's expecting but Rick's house is beautiful and steals her breath away. It's a large antebellum two story house painted a perfect heather gray with white column pillars and black shutters. A large oak tree towers in the middle of the yard and shades part of the freshly manicured front yard. A large tire swing on a tree branch sways gently in the afternoon breeze. There are several large neatly trimmed bushes in front of the wrought iron railing of the porch and blossoming flowerbeds in front of the bushes.

There are two cars in Rick's driveway as Andrea pulls behind a massive extended cab all black Ford F250 that Michonne identifies as Rick's.

"With a truck that big is he over compensating for something?" Andrea asks with a raised eyebrow.

A smirk crosses Michonne's face at a memory of her and Rick in Vegas, "He's not compensating for anything… hell he's so blessed he should be driving a Mini-Cooper."

"Ewwwww, Michonne!" Tara cries out in the back seat.

Sasha and Andrea laugh at Michonne's comment.

"Shane should be driving a smart car, himself!" Andrea says licking her lips.

"Seriously guys! EWWWW!" Tara groans.

"Actually, he should be driving one of those tiny clown cars! He so fucking big and thick," Andrea moans.

"What I heard about Dale… I bet everyone after him is big and thick," Sasha quips.

"SASHA!" Michonne reprimands.

"You wouldn't even know what a big and thick dick looks like!" Andrea fires back.

"Yes, I would!"

"Bob doesn't count."

"Please can we stop talking about penises? Fucking Please?" Tara pleads.

Andrea shrugs ignoring Tara, "Anyway Dale had other talents but Shane! All I want to do is sit on Shane's fat dick… and tongue!"

"ANDREA! Please my ears!" Tara whines.

Sasha laughs at her friend's discomfort before she changes the subject and marvels at the house, "This place is beautiful!"

"Place looks like a house and yard you see on HGTV!" Tara says.

"The curb appeal is fucking great!" Sasha comments.

"It looks massive!" Andrea adds, she throws Michonne a cool gaze, "You sure he's not overcompensating?"

Michonne only replies with a smirk and a wink.

"How many bedrooms did you say?" Tara asks.

"I think he said five."

"Shit! Plenty of room for more kids," Sasha quips.

Michonne's heart leaps and clenches at the thought of kids, not only the children Rick has but adding more. A nervous stampede begins to drum in her chest at the thought of seeing Rick after the harrowing dinner.

A man steps out onto the porch, which runs the full length of the house; her heart leaps again thinking that it is her husband welcoming her home.

XxXx00000xXxX

Shane smiles as he watches the luxury Sedan park in the drive behind Rick's truck. The engine shuts off and almost at once all four doors push open. A caramel skinned woman with curly hair and a woman with shoulder length dark brown hair hop out from the backseats. The caramel skinned woman wears a flow-y teal blouse, white shorts, and white wedges. The brunette wears jean shorts, a t-shirt that says: Keep Calm and Don't Blink, and sneakers.

His eyes go to Rick's wife next; he silently applauds Rick's fine taste in women. Lori was a beautiful woman but Michonne, she is nothing less than exquisite. If Shane and Andrea hadn't hit it off at first, Shane was sure he would have tried his chance with the mahogany skinned goddess. Shane tries not to ogle her as he looks her over; she wears a yellow skinny-strap sundress that stops mid-thigh with a low scoop that shows a lovely amount of her cleavage.

Shane slowly pulls his eyes away from his best friend's wife to Andrea, the woman he spent most of his Vegas vacation with. Her blonde hair is tossed in soft curls and her blue eyes burn bright against the blue of her tight fitting dress. The dress hugged her full breast, small waist and slim hips. They lock eyes, a wide smile crosses her face as a smirk tease his lips at the thought of the lovely things he was going to do to this woman.

XxXx00000xXxX

"Easy Girl." Michonne says with a chuckle as she sidles up to Andrea. She pulls Andrea alongside her to the woman's trunk to collect the items she brought.

Andrea groans, squirms, and turns to Michonne.

"Fuck, he looks so good," Andrea says smoothing down her dress. Michonne glances up at Shane, he's handsome with his pretty playful light brown eyes but he does nothing to entice butterflies like Rick. She waves at him and he returns her greeting as he walks towards them.

"Ladies!"

"Shane, right?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Please don't ever call me that again," Michonne says with a chuckle, she then turns to the others, "You remember Sasha, Tara and Andrea right?"

"Of course, hard to forget beautiful faces like y'all," Shane charms looking at each woman pausing on Andrea a few seconds longer than the others.

"Let me help you with that," Shane finally says grabbing a dish from Andrea, his attention is pulled away from Andrea when another luxury sedan pulls to a stop in front of Rick's house.

Glenn and Maggie step out the car; Glenn goes to the backseat and retrieves several bags before coming up behind his wife who holds a covered bowl in her hand.

"Shane you remember, Maggie?" Michonne starts the introduction. Shane nods a greeting to the pretty brunette, "This is her husband and my brother Glenn."

Shane shifts the dish in his hand and shakes Glenn's hand as he does the same with the bags in his.

"Welcome! Now let's get in and let the party really start," Shane says as he leads them into the house.

Michonne follows after Andrea who has already started to shamelessly flirt with Shane who happily flirts back. Michonne continues to take in the outside of Rick's lovely home. She loves the large porch but it is the iron wrought swing on the front porch that steals her heart. There's a small glass coffee table and two plush rocking chairs adjacent to the swing.

Inside the house she's immediately encompassed by the warmth of the place. Michonne can't shake off the feeling of finally coming home.

Tara, Sasha, and Glenn all oh and ah at the beauty of Rick's home. In the large open foyer there's a large crystal chandelier that greets them, to their left double glass doors are closed that lead to what looks like an office, there's a small hallway that leads deeper into the house, off to the side of the foyer is a large spiral staircase that leads to the second floor. To their right is a large open living room that looks mostly untouched. Dozens of pictures of Rick's kids and family adorn the mantle over the large wood fireplace.

Shane leads them pass the living room deeper into the house, pass the living room is a former dining room with a table beautifully decorated with an ornate center piece, there's a china cabinet that takes up most of one wall with black and gold dishes propped up. There's another large chandelier over the center of the table that glistens in the natural light that streams through one of the open windows of the room.

Pass the dining room, is the large modern open kitchen, across from the kitchen is a family room with large comfy couches, a battered chest that serves as a coffee table, and large TV mounted against one wall. The décor of the entire house is a mix of upscale country décor with a rustic and comfortable aura.

What enchants Michonne the most is the windows that line the back of the house allowing a flood on natural light to pour into the rooms. She can see out to the back patio and further into the wooded area behind the house.

"Wow this place is beautiful," She breathes.

"Yea, it's nice. That's one of the two reasons I'm always here," Shane comments.

"What's the second reason?" Andrea asks.

"They feed me."

The group laughs as they surround the granite counter top, placing the items they brought along with them. After their hands are empty, Shane leads them outside to the back deck. The back deck, is massive and runs along half of the house and goes out further into the yard. There are already several people mingling on the deck.

Michonne sees the quiet man with the shaggy hair, Daryl and the loud red hair man, Abraham. There's a large man with graying hair, a short woman with a gray pixie cut that she hasn't seen before. The gathered group falls silent at the arrival of Michonne and her group.

"Michonne."

Her eyes find Rick; he calls her name as he steps away from the grill. He smiles warmly and his eyes light up. Cerulean eyes matching the heavens of the beautiful day and a smile that heats the apex of her inner thighs, steal her breath away. Butterflies stampede in her chest and stomach at the sight of Rick.

 _Fuck. He looks so good._ She silently thinks.

XxXx00000xXxX

He can feel the tension and unspoken words between them, thick and high like a great wall separating the two but the intangible wall doesn't stop his heart from picking up pace and doubling at the sight of her. He inhales a nervous breath and falls into her gravity.

"You look beautiful," Rick says as he embraces Michonne. He gives her a quick kiss on her lips before releasing her. Her chocolate eyes melt at the greeting as she looks up at him. Her eyes drop back to his lips and linger there for a few seconds before remembering herself. Michonne takes a step back and introduces Rick to her friends and family.

"Hey Rick, good seeing you again," Glenn says as the two men shake hands.

"Better terms this time," Rick replies.

Maggie smiles a greeting as do Tara, Sasha and Andrea. Rick reintroduces Daryl and Abraham to them before moving onto to Carol and her boyfriend, Tobin. Names and hellos are exchanged before Rick remembers to play host. He takes everyone's drink order and disappears into the house calling out to Daryl to watch the grill.

Inside he works on getting the drinks ready when the door from the patio opens. He looks over his shoulder and sees Carol stepping into the house.

"Came to help," Carol says with pinched features.

Rick nods. He places five of the seven bottles of wine Glenn brought in the fridge to chill while he opens the other two bottles. Carol removes several beers and a couple of pops from the fridge and places them on a tray.

"She's pretty," Carol starts.

"Carol…" Rick says with a sigh.

"What? All I said is that she's pretty."

"Carol." Rick says firmly.

"You already know what I think."

"I do but I am sure you're going to tell me again."

"I just think you're moving too fast. Think about your kids, Rick."

"I am thinking about them."

"By marrying a woman you barely know. A woman that –"

"Carol! I know you're just trying to protect me and the kids. I am truly thankful for that and your friendship over the years but I am done discussing this with you."

"Fine, Rick!" Carol says with a roll of her eyes. She releases a sigh and lifts an eyebrow in question, "And Lori?"

"What about her?"

"She's trying to get in contact with you. She's wants to be part of the kids' lives. She wants to be a family."

"She gave up that right a long time ago."

"She made a mistake and she's trying to-" Carol cuts herself off, getting control of her raising voice before she speaks again, "You act as if you're innocent in all of this. You're the one who gave her the-"

"She took it! I didn't force her to do anything. She willingly signed those papers," Rick pauses and pinches the bridge of his nose. He lowers his hand and glares up at Carol, "I am done discussing this. I do not want to hear her name or any mention of her in my house."

Carol presses her lips in a straight line, her eyes narrowing on Rick. A light of realization dawns upon her causing her eyes to light up, "You haven't told her."

Rick pauses mid-step, he slowly turns to face Carol.

"No. She doesn't know."

"Rick –"

He cuts her off and says, "I'll tell her just not yet."

Carol folds her arms over her chest and hardens her face but doesn't comment, clearly unhappy with Rick and his choices.

Rick collects the drinks and several empty cups, before he starts back to the deck he looks over his shoulder at the woman with the sour facial expression, "And Carol?"

"Yes?"

"You disrespect her, you disrespect me. Remember that."

Rick doesn't bother to take in Carol's reaction as he slides the door open and steps outside. Michonne, Andrea, Shane and Sasha stand by the back railing overlooking his back yard. Glenn and Maggie stand talking to Tobin while Daryl mans the grill and Abraham flirts with Tara who looks uninterested in anything he has to say.

Rick goes to Maggie, Glenn, and Tobin first. Glenn grabs a beer, Maggie a pop and Tobin declines saying he's still nursing his beer. Abraham gulps down the beer in his hand before he takes another one while Tara takes a pop. Near the rear of the deck next to the steps that lead to the back yard, Rick fills a glass of wine for Andrea and Michonne, who both thank him with a smile. Sasha takes a beer from the tray and thanks him.

"You have a beautiful home, Rick," Sasha says.

"Yes, it is lovely and truly breathtaking. I love it," Michonne agrees.

"I'm glad you love it," He responds staring into her eyes.

"I was just asking Michonne why she didn't tell me about the pool," Andrea chides.

"I didn't know," Michonne answers.

"Honestly, I forgot to tell her."

"Carl is the most popular kid on the block because of this pool," Shane says with a chuckle.

"The pool is pretty popular," Rick jokes looking down at the yard. The in ground lap pool takes up about half of the yard and includes a small diving board and a slide.

"If I knew, we could have turned this into an adult pool party," Andrea suggests.

"It's not too late," Shane wags his eyebrows, "We can go swimming in our underwear."

Andrea lowers her eyes and bites her lips before she brings them back to Shane, "I'm not wearing any undergarments."

Shane eyes go wide as he looks Andrea over in slow appreciation as he whispers, "Fuck."

"And that's my cue to go check on the food," Sasha says, she grabs another beer and head towards the grill and Daryl.

Michonne shakes her head and takes a step away from the two as they tear into each other with their eyes. Rick falls into step with Michonne. He drinks in the sight of Michonne, the yellow dress looks like the sun itself embracing and causing her dark skin to glow with a rapture radiance. The short skirt shows off her tone muscular legs, the clinch waist shows her small waist, and the low scoop display hints of chocolate mounds that he wants to lick slowly like the rest of her lush body. Her dreadlocks are swept up in a lovely intricate twist updo that shows off her long slender neck and her lips are softly painted red. Cradled against her breast is her wedding ring that dangles off of a silver chain around her neck. Rick's heart thunders at the sight of the ring.

"I just saw you two days ago but you look exquisite," Rick says.

She shyly looks up to him, "Thank you."

"Thank you for coming, for accepting the invitation."

"We need to talk about the other night."

Rick nods as he leans into her, "I know but first…" He places a quick kiss on her lips, "First let's just enjoy this."

Michonne nods, mouth slightly parts as if wanting another kiss. He starts to fall towards her to give her another kiss when his name is called.

"Rick! The food is ready!"


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hello All! Thank you for reading and staying with me, apologies for the delay with updating the story. I appreciate everyone taking the time to read, comment, favorite, and follow this story. A very special thank you to, QuietGirl72!**

 **Another light and fun chapter, hope you all enjoy. Once again thank you for reading.**

 **-fithola-**

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

"Lord! Gotdamn! Who made the potato salad?" Shane cries out as he stuffs another forkful into his mouth.

"Maggie," Glenn beams proudly.

"Fuck really? Gotdamn! This taste like a black grandma's recipe," Abraham praises.

"Shit Abe," Daryl says blushing at the man's comment.

"That is racist!"

Michonne only shrugs while Sasha shakes her head with a chuckle.

"I say that with the utmost respect," Abraham says.

"In all fairness, I did get the recipe from Michonne's grandmother," Maggie says.

"Fucking see! No white person can make potato salad this fucking good," Abraham claims.

"I beg to differ, Carol is an amazing cook, I've gained ten pounds since we've started dating," Tobin praises, Carol gives a tight smile and shrugs.

"I ain't saying Carol's a bad cook but ain't no food like some good southern food." Abraham says.

Shane nods in agreement.

"Maybe I had this all fucked up, I should have married a sista! Y'all know what they say once you go black-"

"Gotdamn it Abe!" Daryl grumbles.

"I'm just saying! Chonne, you got any sistas?"

"No only two brothers."

"Cousins?"

"A few, Sasha is my cousin."

Abraham turns his attention to Sasha with a raised eye brow stuffing another fork full into his mouth. She laughs good naturally and shakes her head.

"Fuck Abe!" Daryl mumbles.

"Do you cook Michonne?" Carol asks trying to shift the conversation.

"No, I'm not a very good cook. I can follow a basic recipe but that's about it."

"Oh."

"Michonne bakes," Andrea says.

"Really?" Carol asks.

"Oh yea. Last night Michonne baked up a storm for today. I helped," Andrea brags.

"You drank and watched Michonne bake," Sasha corrects.

"You didn't help either," Andrea retorts.

"I washed dishes and helped cleaned up," Sasha defends herself.

"So all the dessert in the kitchen you baked?" Rick asks.

Michonne gives a shy nod. Rick is about to speak when Abraham cuts him off.

"So you can't cook?" Abraham asks. He doesn't wait for an answer, he turns to Tara and asks, "Can you cook?"

"I hate when men ask that dumb ass question like we're in the 1800s. 'Can you cook?' Bitch, can you build me a house?" Andrea asks causing several people to laugh.

"Well actually, I d-"

"Don't answer that!" Andrea says cutting Shane off causing more laughter around the table.

The group enjoys their meal as the conversation around the table flows easily; old stories are recanted with a light and humorous air that causes some of the tension in Michonne to dissipate. It is almost as if the all know each other with the ease of the conversation.

Once the plates are mostly clear, the table grows quiet with chatter. Michonne notices Shane and Andrea are gone. Glenn talks to Tobin and Abraham about the Atlanta Falcons, Abraham jovially argues his point that Tyreese Williams is one of the weakest defensive tackles in the game of football and it is a poor choice for the Falcons to sign the aging player. Unknown to him, Tyreese is Sasha's older brother as well as Glenn and Michonne's cousin. Glenn along with Tobin argue their reasoning to why the addition of Tyreese Williams is a great choice for the Falcons. Michonne pulls her attention to the others at the table, Carol and Maggie bond over charity while Daryl and Sasha talk about their dogs with Tara trying to keep up with the conversation.

"As much as you talk about Zeus, I'm surprised you didn't bring him here with you," Sasha jokes.

"Thought 'bout it but I decided to leave him home."

"Since we were coming to the country I was going to bring JW but Andrea had a fit about putting my dog in the back seat of her leather interior."

Daryl gives a quiet chuckle and Sasha smiles wider.

"Sasha goes practically everywhere with JW when she can. She treats him like he's a lap dog," Tara adds, "But he's as big as a horse."

"JW is short for John Wayne right?" Daryl asks.

Sasha smiles wider, "You remember."

"I like John Wayne, ain't hard to forget."

"Me too! 'Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyways'."

Daryl scratches his chin "'Talk low, talk slow and don't say too much."

Sasha smiles wide, "My dad loved watching John Wayne movies. I used to watch them with him when I was little and I sorta fell in love."

"He was the star in the original 3:10 to Yuma?" Tara asks.

"Nah that was Van Heflin."

"And Glenn Ford," Sasha corrects.

"Oh. Maybe we can do a girl's night and binge on John Wayne movies."

Sasha nods at Tara and turns to Daryl.

"You named Zeus because of Hercules right?"

Daryl nods as he takes a drink from his beer.

"Hercules? Was Zeus' father Hercules or something?" Tara asks.

Sasha takes a drink from her own beer, "No, it's because you used to watch that TV show with Kevin Sober, Hercules right?"

A small smiles pulls Daryl's lips up, "You remember?"

"Yes, I remember," Sasha's eyes twinkle as she locks eyes with Daryl, she breaks away and shrugs then adds, "Plus I love Lucy Lawless, I dressed up as Xena for Halloween five years in a row."

Michonne watches and smiles at the interactions, she turns to comment to Rick about Sasha and Daryl when she notices Rick is no longer sitting beside her. She looks around and sees through the wall of windows that he's in the kitchen moving around. She excuses herself, collects the remaining plates on the table and makes her way inside.

The barbeque has been going well. The earlier tension between them still remains, but it is less stifling and overwhelming with the company of their friends. As she moves deeper into the kitchen, her earlier nervousness returns.

Rick moves around the kitchen unwrapping the collection of desserts she baked the night before. Peach cobbler, pecan pie, red velvet cupcakes, caramel brownies, and chocolate chip cookies. He breaks off a piece of cookie and pops it into his mouth, his eyes roll back in his head as he groans.

"You like it?"

Rick jolts in surprise at seeing Michonne, he quickly walks to her and takes the plates out of her hands.

"That is some of the best chocolate chip cookies I ever ate."

"You're not just saying that to be nice?"

A soft chuckle escapes his lips, "No ma'am, honest to God. My momma makes some of the best cookies and this has her beat by a mile."

A shy smile crosses her lips as she whispers, "Thank you."

"You baked all of that?"

"Yes."

"And you had me believing you didn't cook."

"I don't," She says, his eyebrows raise in question, "I bake. You know how to cook but you said it yourself you can't bake outside of a casserole."

"True," Rick says as he throws the plastic plates in the trash and the utensils in the soapy water filling up one of the basins of the sink.

"I think baking takes more precision, for the dessert to turn out just right the measurements have to be right and in the right order. Too much baking soda can ruin a batch of cookies or not adding enough butter will not bake right. I understand baking."

Rick's blue eyes glisten in the dimming light of the sun, "I cook and you bake. Sounds perfect."

Michonne smiles and nods. The earlier tension remains but something else continues to build between them, an electric current of need and desire. She licks her lips, Rick draws closer with the intention of kissing her when the door slides open. The two pull away from each other.

"Bathroom?" Tara asks.

"Down the hall to the left," Rick replies.

Tara nods and disappears from the kitchen. Displacing the electric mood, Rick steps away from Michonne and removes the pot of freshly made coffee and the hot water for tea. She pushes the slight disappointment away as she falls alongside him, helping to ready the dessert tray. He places both, coffee and hot water, on the tray and instructs Michonne where to find tea and coffee cups for the dessert. The two move silently around the kitchen, Rick directing Michonne to various items location such as sugar, creamer, and spoons. The drink tray for dessert is almost prepared when Tara comes shrieking from the back hallway.

"What?" Rick asks rushing to her.

"I just … I just saw Shane and Andrea having sex!"

Rick groans and shakes his head. Michonne stifles a giggle as she watches as Rick starts down the hallway before pausing and thinking better than to interrupt the two lovers. He rubs the back of his neck before running both hands down his face and turning back to Michonne and Tara, whose face looks like a mask of horror.

"They were in the guest bedroom. My eyes are ruined," Tara cries out.

"I'm sure you've seen worse," Michonne says.

"They were going at it like… like animals," Tara shudders and rushes outside.

Rick groans again and looks down the hall contemplating disturbing the two lovers before he turns back to Michonne. He shakes his head and sighs as he returns to her side.

"I just changed those sheets," Rick comments.

Michonne chuckles.

"I'm surprised they made it through dinner," Rick says.

Michonne chuckles louder, "I'm surprised he didn't take her after her comment about no underwear."

He groans before releasing a laugh, his laugh slows when he makes eye contact with her. The early tension returns along with it the spark of desire. His eyes drop to her lips, neck, and breasts sliding down her body and climbing slowly up. Michonne suppresses a shiver at the seductive eye fuck.

"Yea… if you made that comment I would have embarrassed both of us and took you right then and there."

"Is that supposed to be a threat, Mr. Grimes?"

"It's a promise, Mrs. Grimes."

The candor that burns in his blue eyes causes another shiver to rip through her. She has no doubt Rick would fulfill his promise. He closes the distances between them and his lips fall upon her in a violent kiss filled with need, want, and lust. Michonne's breath is stolen away when he pushes his tongue into her mouth. She presses herself against him and pulls at his shirt.

Rick's hands fall to her ass and squeeze her round backside as he pushes her into him. She opens her mouth wider as Rick deepens the kiss, moaning into his mouth, she forgets her surroundings and the harrowing dinner with her parents. All that matters is being in Rick's arms with Rick's lips pressing against hers, with his tongue dancing with hers. One hand's fingers curls into his shirt, while her other arm wraps around his neck and sinks into his curls.

"Rick!"

They quickly pull apart as if teenagers caught by their parents and look up to see Carol coolly standing at the door with steel blue eyes trained on them, "Y'all need help getting dessert out?"

XxXx00000xXxX

Shane's right, Carol is the biggest cockblocker known to man. Michonne adjusts her dress, turning to grab the plate of cookies, pie, and brownies, before she heads outside. Rick glares at Carol who returns a shit-eating grin at him. She grabs the remaining desserts, gives him another smirk before she also leaves. Rick takes a moment to calm himself down before he grabs the arrangement of drinks and follows them outside.

Rick is surprised at how well his and Michonne's group of friends are getting along. Everyone talks to each other as if they've known each other for years instead of a few hours. Everyone raves about Michonne's desserts, he steals glances at her as she shyly thanks everyone for their warm comments.

Shane is the first to return to the table followed by Andrea a few minutes later, their return as well as their absence is noticed by all. Their secret rendezvous made known by Tara but also by their appearance. Andrea's hair is a mess, her lipstick smeared, and she has a dazed expression on her face. Shane looks similar, his shirt is untucked, he has lipstick smudges on his neck and shirt collar, and his face owns a smirk of satisfaction. Rick's eyes find Michonne, they stare at each other; Rick doing his best to convey to her all the things he wants to do her. He watches as her breath gets caught in her chest, she licks her lips and forces her eyes away from him as she shifts in her seat. His message received loud and clear.

"Y'all been gone a while," Daryl comments innocently.

"Your dress is on backwards," Maggie observes.

"Oh shit." Andrea blushes as she sits down with Shane snickering next to her, she punches his arm as he sits next to her.

"I just changed those sheets, Shane," Rick says.

"In all fairness, we never made it to the bed."

Glenn chokes on his coffee, Maggie rubs his back as Abraham roars with laughter.

"Fuck, Shane!" Tobin says with a chuckle of his own. Carol glares at him and silences his laugh.

"I'm sorry for what you saw Tara," Andrea says.

"Y'all saw me and didn't stop?" Tara balks.

"We were close!" Shane shrugs.

Sasha's face crumples into thought, "Tara saw you all twenty minutes ago."

"What can I say… we went another round!" Shane says with another shrug.

Rick groans as he notices Daryl blushing while sipping on his beer and Glenn shifting in his chair. Abraham, Tobin and Shane share a chuckle while the women tactically avoid looking at Shane and Andrea. Carol having enough of the conversation changes the subject to a more PG topics. She asks what the latest movie they have seen is. Maggie eagerly jumps into the conversation and the other follow as well.

XxXx00000xXxX

"I'm sorry about the other night."

Rick turns to see Maggie approach him; he stands at the edge of the deck looking down at his pool where Daryl and Sasha sit side by side. The water shimmers with the remaining light of the sun as it slowly kisses the horizon for the night. It's a little past eight o'clock and several of his guests have already left.

Rick shrugs, not wanting to express his true thoughts regarding Michonne's parents.

"They are normally not like that."

"I hope they were nicer to you, when they first met you."

Maggie chuckles. Rick watches as her face folds in thought, "I meet Judge through a family friend, Patricia who was his assistant. I volunteered to help her plan a fundraising event for him. We met and he was charmed. He then introduced me to Mama Viv and soon after that I was introduced to Glenn who in all honesty had no interest in me."

Rick chuckles, "Really? Why? You seem like a sweet girl."

"It was the whole thing of being picked by his parents, being vetted by them. He hated it, I didn't know at the time. I just thought they liked me, which they did but my pedigree didn't hurt either. Anyways, he rebelled and dated this crazy girl named Amber for a while. During that time we became friends. When he and the crazy girl broke up we became closer friends. A year later we were a couple, and then engaged and ta-dah, here we are."

"I guess I went backwards with the entire courting thang."

"A little."

They both share a chuckle.

"They are intense and overprotective of their family and children. They want the very best for them and sometimes… they think what they want is best for them. I guess what I'm saying is they are not all bad."

"Thank you, Maggie."

She smiles at him and places a hand on his shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze before she turns away. Rick looks back to the pool, his eyes fall upon Daryl and Sasha sitting by the water. Her feet dangle in the pool as she throws her head back and laughs at something he says. Rick smiles at the interaction.

"SASHA!" Tara yells coming to a stop next to Rick, "COME ON, WE'RE LEAVING!"

Sasha waves her hand and stands to her feet with Daryl's help.

"You had fun tonight?" Rick asks Tara as she keeps her eyes on Daryl and Sasha as they make their way back to the house.

"Yea," She grunts then she turns to Rick, "Abraham is a little…"

"Off-putting?" Rick offers.

"Intense," Tara says with an exasperated sigh.

He chuckles at her, "Yea… a little."

"He knows I like girls right?"

"I don't know but I'll be sure to tell him."

"Yea, please do! Even if I did like boys, his heavy hand flirting is fucking annoying and… off-putting," Tara says as her eyes go back to Sasha as she ascends the stairs. Her eyes light up at the sight of the other girl.

"We're leaving already?" Sasha asks her wedge shoes clutched in her hand.

"Yea, we can't find Andrea so we're riding back with Glenn and Maggie. Michonne is going to wait here for Andrea."

"Oh ok," She says with a shrug she turns first to Rick and thanks him for having them over saying she enjoyed herself before turning to Daryl, "Next time, Zeus and JW, pet play date."

"Yea," Daryl says with a careless shrug. She smiles before she and Tara start into the house; Tara swings her arm over Sasha's shoulder and says something low enough that only Sasha can hear which causes her to laugh. Rick shoots a glance at Daryl with a raised eyebrow, Daryl's only response is another shrug. Rick follows the girls inside and through the house and then out the front door to tell them good night.

"Thanks for doing this," Glenn says as he starts his good bye.

"It was Shane's idea."

"Yes but you didn't have to actually do it."

"Yea..." Rick says scratching a nonexistent itch on his chin.

"About my parents..." Glenn starts.

"Maggie told me, they mean well but they are intense."

"Hell, I was going to say they're batshit crazy and mean as hell."

Rick laughs and Glenn joins him.

"I'm sorry about the other night," He says growing serious, "How you were treated was uncalled for. How Michonne was treated was downright evil and I should have spoken up more."

He's thankful for Glenn's apology but Rick only cares of Michonne's thoughts and feelings about the previous night.

"Thanks Glenn."

"You seem like a good man and as long as you do right by my sister and make her happy, then you're okay by me."

Rick nods, "I'm trying."

"Yea, man. I know."

They two men exchange handshakes before Glenn ambles over to his luxury vehicle and climbs into the driver side. He starts the engine with a honk and a wave the car takes off.

Standing on his porch is Daryl with the now two empty casserole dishes in his hands.

"Heading out too?"

"Yea, man. Got an early start to the day," Daryl pauses before he adds, "Thangs went well."

Rick nods and rubs the back of his neck

"Yes it did, it went well… seems like everybody got along."

"Yea."

"You think it's gonna work for y'all?"

"She still in there?" Rick asks.

"Yea, finishing up on the phone, I'm guessin'."

"After this conversation… we'll see."


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hello All! I'm sorry about the long wait for the update.**

 **Here's a quick RECAP : Rick and Michonne meet and get married in Vegas during a weekend getaway with their respective friends. ****Michonne takes off but Rick finds her and they both agree to try and make the marriage work.** **The newly wed are getting to know each other and things are going well until they run into Michonne's parents who let's admit are downright spiteful and evil. Things are shaky for the couple but their friends Shane and Andrea, talk them into a BBQ at Rick's house. Carol is not too happy with Rick's relationship but Rick shuts her down fairly effectively. The BBQ goes well and everyone heads home leaving our hero and heroine to finally have that talk. Got it? Okay... now let's hop back into it.**

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

He finds her in the living room closely examining the pictures of his children. He wants her to meet them and hopefully to fall in love with them as much as he has fallen in love with her. Sensing his presence she speaks:

"Andrea went off with Shane. Left her car here for me. She said I could drive it back to Atlanta if I wanted to."

"Are you?"

She pulls away from the pictures and turns to face him.

"Are you going to drive back to Atlanta?"

Her brown eyes sweep across his face before focusing on his eyes, she shakes her head slightly before she turns and looks back at the pictures on the mantle.

"I love your home," She says.

"I'm glad you like it," after a silent moment Rick adds, "I was afraid you wouldn't like it."

Her head snaps up at him a confuse expression takes over her lovely features.

"It's not like your house, upscale, modern, and sleek."

He's rewarded with her heady laugh, "I feel as if my place feels cold and detached. I love it here, it's beautiful and it feels homey. It feels like home."

Hearing those words causes Rick's heart to double in pace, _like home_. He wants to make this Michonne's home as much as it is his.

"Whoever decorated this place has excellent taste."

"You can thank Carl, my mom, and Rosita, our interior designer."

"Carl?"

"He likes art: drawing, sculpting, painting and all that. He wants to be an art major. I don't know what type of job he's going to get with that…" Rick trails off when he sees the coy smile on Michonne's face, "What?"

"I was going to be an art major."

An eyebrow rises in surprise, "You're a lawyer."

"It wasn't my first choice… my parents," Michonne sighs and looks around the room, "They did a lovely job."

They fall into another silent spell, Michonne looking at the pictures on the mantle and Rick watching her.

"Your children are beautiful," She admires.

"Thank you," He replies softly. He hesitates a moment before he says, "I want them to meet you… I want you to meet them."

This gets her full attention, she turns to him. Her eyes once again sweeping his face before settling on his eyes.

"Rick…"

"I know the other night was a mess but I'm still willing to try."

She closes her eyes, he wants to go to her but he remains still and watches her. When she opens her eyes they glisten with tears.

"How is your heart so big?"

He shrugs and takes a step towards her, "I think it is you. I feel like my heart expanded three times when I met you."

"Rick… about the other night."

"I should have said somethang sooner. I shouldn't have allowed your parents to speak to you like that. I should have picked you up, thrown you over my shoulder and stormed out of that restaurant."

"You're big into the dramatics," Michonne says with a soft smile.

"I would have done anything to get you out of that restaurant… I should have done anything to stop what happened. I was a coward for not speaking up sooner, I was a-"

His words come to a halt when Michonne slams herself into his chest. Wrapping his arms around her, he squeezes her tightly and allows a moment of silence as they enjoy being in each other's arms.

"Judge is a state supreme justice," Michonne starts; Rick nods his head already knowing this fact. She inhales and continues, "He's also one of the top candidates to be running mate to David J. Adams."

Michonne licks her lips and starts to speak again when Rick stops her with a simple shake of his head. She falls silent and watches as Rick takes in her words and allows them to process, once he has a full understanding he finally speaks.

"Your father, Justice Judge Lee-Pak Rhee is one of the top candidates to become the running mate of Democratic President nominee David J. Adams? If he wins the candidacy he'll be on the ticket to become Vice President and once that happens the entire family is under a microscope."

Michonne nods, nervously chewing on her bottom lip.

"Judge is a democrat."

It is more of a statement but Michonne answers him just the same, "Even though Judge is a democrat he's a more conservative democrat with heavy supports from both sides of the aisle."

Rick finishes for her, "And with his diverse family he is the perfect counterpart to the young President hopeful David J. Adams' blonde hair and blue eyes family."

She doesn't speak; instead she shifts from leg to leg while avoiding his eyes.

"A Georgian born Korean man with traditional roots to his homeland married to a beautiful extremely successful highly educated African American woman with a blended family," Rick says as he watches Michonne's eyes fill with tears. A part of him wants to stop but he continues needing to complete the narrative of her family's behavior and her tolerance of it.

"The Rhee's and their near perfect children, the youngest son who is biracial and is literally the face of the future of America is at the top of his class in high school and all-around athlete, the All-American teenage son. Their middle child, another successful son who's the youngest senior architect at Hilltop Untied one of the top architectural firms in the states, and is married to a southern bell. A southern bell who is the director of ASZ one of the top charitable organization in the east. Lastly their eldest, a beautiful daughter who is supposed to be a senior partner at Monroe, Brooks, and Connelly the most acclaimed law-firm in the south and dating renowned surgeon Dr. Ezekiel King."

Michonne's chest heaves; she wipes the tears before they fall. A part of Rick wants to hold and comfort her but before he can do that he needs to know what he is to her.

"Instead, you're still a junior partner but that can still work. You take on more pro-bono cases than any partner at your firm, so it makes you look giving and selfless even if your nickname is Michonne 'the Shark' Carter. Even if your relationship with the Good Doctor failed, they would have made you the most eligible bachelorette in America but that all went to shit when you meet and married me in Vegas."

Rick finds it hard to speak once he finishes as a lump forms in his throat.

"Rick you are a political liability."

The lump gets bigger. He finds it difficult to breathe.

"To my parents all they'll see is a man whose ambition only amounted to him being a small town sheriff. They'll see a divorce single dad of two kids, whose wife left him and it doesn't matter the reason they'll only see the bad. They'll only see a man who brought down the value of their daughter and they'll soon spin it to show that you tricked me into marrying you. To them you're a political liability."

She's quiet for a moment when Rick finds her eyes, there is more. She had more to say he can see the weight of her words in her eyes. She takes a small step towards him and Rick forces himself not to move away from her.

"The plan… the plan that was mentioned the other night does not only involve Judge's hopes of becoming Vice President but it also involves a potential political career for me," She inhales deeply and continues, "You're political liability to them but by being with you I'm committing political suicide, especially if this marriage fails."

He suddenly feels tired and flops down on one of the couches. He buries his head in his hand and digests Michonne's word. The reason she didn't want to tell her parents about him. She is ashamed of him. It breaks his heart.

"Rick."

He hears his name but doesn't answer. Another minute of silence passes before she calls out his name again.

"Rick."

Still he doesn't answer.

"RICK!"

"What Michonne?" He snaps.

"Ask me."

Confusion pulls his eyes from his hand to look up at her. She's closer than he expects her to be.

"Ask me."

"Ask you what Michonne?"

She drops to her knees in front of him, "Ask me what I think of you."

Rick closes his eyes and inhales deeply, breathing in her sweet scent that causes his head to spin. He exhales slowly and opens his eyes to peer into her chocolate brown orbs.

"What do you think, Michonne?" he whispers.

She leans up to cup his cheeks in each hand, staring into his eyes, "I see a southern good ol'boy who loves his country and the people of his town so much he decided to put his life in danger daily to serve and protect them. I see a single father who loves his children above anything else and tries his hardest to provide and raise them the best he knows how. I see a handsome man whose ex-wife is either dumb, blind, or crazy but I am sure it is all three to enable her to leave such a wonderful, caring, sweet and sexy man. I am thankful because her lost is my gain and do you know how I know all of that?"

He's only able to give a small shake of his head becoming lost in the sincerity swimming in her chocolate eyes.

"Because of the way you took care of me when I was sick, you didn't have to do what you did but that is who you are. It is because of the way you defended me against my parents. It is because you stood up to them when I have seen other men cower in fear. It is because even though you ate only a bite of your food and my parents were down right evil, you still paid for the entire meal. It is because you opened your home with open arms to my friends and family even after that shit show of a dinner. It is because when your friends speak of you they speak with so much love and admiration."

Rick looks at her in awe, completely floored by her words.

"The more time I spend with you… the more I get to know you… the more I find myself falling madly in love with you Rick Grimes."

"Michonne-" Rick breathes leaning towards her but Michonne dodges his lips and continues on.

"I am sorry I called you my friend, it's just when I'm around them I feel like such a disappointment and I mentally revert to a child and I can't shake it off. I am sorry but I promise next time I'll be bold and brave like you. I am also sorry I broke my promise to try but please understand when I made that promise to try to give this one hundred percent I knew about Judge's candidacy. I knew what could possibly happen to my own political aspiration… I knew about it and I still actively made the decision to try. I made that decision to be with you, I just wasn't expecting to deal with my parents so soon but just know I made the decision to be with you knowing what happened was possible and I'm sorry I reacted poorly but if you still want to tr-"

Rick doesn't allow her to finish speaking. He pulls her from her position on the floor onto his lap and kisses her deeply. Michonne returns the fever kiss before she pulls away and hugs Rick tightly.

"Do you forgive me?" She whispers against his neck.

Rick pulls away and holds Michonne's face in the palm of his hand staring into her eyes he says, "There's nothing to forgive. I love you."

She gives him a teary eye smile and leans into him. She captures his lips, sweeping her tongue against his mouth until he opens his mouth against hers. Rick deepens the kiss and Michonne moans against his mouth. Michonne pulls away from the intense kiss and lays her head in the crook of Rick's neck as he holds her against him. They sit in silence for several minutes until a thought races across his mind.

"Who is Andre?" He asks gently, he feels her stiffen in his arms. "Michonne, what was it you didn't want your mother to tell me. Who is Andre?"

Michonne pulls away from him and searches his face, he immediately regrets asking her the question seeing the pain that envelopes her features even though he knows he needs to hear the answer. He knows one thing for certain; the death of this person hurt her deeply and continues to do so.

"Rick," She swallows hard before she continues, "I swear… I swear I'll tell you… just not yet. I can't, not yet but I promise when the time is right... I promise I will."

Rick wants to say this is the right time as a part of him hates that he doesn't know everything about the woman who has captured his heart. A part of him simmers in anger at her reluctance of telling him the truth. He wants to say so when he remembers his own truths he has yet to share with her.

Instead of speaking his annoyance, he focuses on the candor of her promise and the pain on her face, "Okay."

"Okay?"

"I trust you, Michonne."

Once he says those words, he completely believes them. He trusts her. She chokes back tears as she nods before taking his lips forcefully against hers. The kiss deepens for a brief moment before she breaks away.

"Thank you. Thank you for trusting me… for loving me."

It's his turn to nod before he takes her lips against his.

XxXx00000xXxX

Standing next to Rick, the two wash the remaining dishes. The house is all cleaned and picked up and looks like no barbeque ever took place except for the leftovers overflowing in the fridge. Rick jokes the Shane will come over and eat most of it, if not all of it.

They held each other on the couch in a peaceful silence for a long time, gently caressing one another before pulling apart. Michonne using the bathroom before joining Rick in the kitchen as he straightened up. Carol and Maggie had done most of the work earlier in the night before Carol left, therefore there wasn't a lot to do for Rick and Michonne besides clean the countertops and load the dish washer.

It was close to ten o'clock by the time they finished.

"Are you going to drive back to Atlanta tonight?" Rick asks.

"No, it's too late."

"Good."

Michonne only smiles at his response. Rick fills a glass of wine for her and grabs a beer for himself as Michonne leads them outside to the deck. She leans against the back railing and glances up to the starry night, releasing a sigh as she feels Rick's body press up against her. She knew they made if over a hurdle but they still had a long ways to go. She still had to tell him about Andre, the thought of telling him causes a small panic to wrestle in her chest. Rick wraps an arm around her midsection as he pulls her closer to his warmth. He rest his head against her head, Michonne feels herself relax against his touch. She doesn't want to lose this; she wants this peace with him for as long as possible. She feels as if she's home in his arms, an all-encompassing passion that drowns her with unconditional love. She hopes that the unconditional love remains when she tells him about Andre.

"The quiet of it all… it is so peaceful almost intoxicating."

"Intoxicating? I've never heard the country side described like that."

"It is, I can get use to this, to being here with you."

His arms tighten around her waist, his voice drops an octave, "I want you to get use to this place. I want this to be your home as much as it is mine and the kids."

"Home?"

"Home." Rick repeats as he places a kiss on the top of her ear.

"Mmm…home," Michonne murmurs. She pulls away from him and starts towards the stairs that lead to the backyard. "Then I better get comfortable."

Michonne slips out of her heels and descends the stairs with her wine glass in hand. When she's at the bottom of the stairs she looks up to see Rick staring down at her. She removes several pins that kept her locs in place. Once the pins fall she shakes her tresses free and they fall across her shoulders. All of a sudden feeling flirty as a slow thrum starts to beat in her stomach moving lower with each beat.

She watches as he inhales deeply as she conveys with her eyes her inner thoughts, she smiles over her shoulder and before continuing further onto the immaculate yard. When she reaches the halfway point to the pool Michonne looks over her shoulders again. Rick is about halfway down the steps. She touches the slope of her neck tracing the movement to her left shoulder, she pulls the thin strap of her dress pass her shoulder and down her arms. She switches her wine glass to her right hand and does the same with her right shoulder and arm.

The look that burns in his cerulean eyes excites her; the thrum of need starts a feverish beat between her thighs. Thoughts of their love making in Vegas flash across her mind. She feels her excitement wet her inner lips; she squeezes her thighs together and has to stifle a moan as she reaches for the center of her back and tugs the zipper down. With the zipper open the dress falls from her torso and pulls around her hips. She presses her thighs together feeling a pulse of need race thought her before she gives a slight tug and the dress pools at her feet. She steps out the dress and continues her walk to the pool.

XxXx00000xXxX

Rick can't take his eyes off of her. Her seductive walk and strip tease is too much for him. He wants to rush over to her and have his way with her but he's enjoying the show too much. At the poolside she does a little shimmy and removes her strapless bra, keeping her breast cover with one arm draped across her chest. The wine glass still clutched in her hand.

She drops the bra, takes her wine glass from the hand across her chest and takes another sip. She peels a finger from one of her breast until she exposes the chocolate mound to him. She slides her arm across her chest and repeats the movements until both chocolate mounds come to view with dark blackberry nipples standing hard at attention. Rick licks his lips as he continues towards her.

Michonne drains her wine glass then bends at the waist to put the glass down giving Rick a full view of her backside. He almost ends her game when she gives her ass a little shake. He never considered himself an assman but Michonne is changing his world.

She climbs the diving boards and walks to the edge of the board while Rick comes to a stop by the poolside where she left her wine glass. With eyes locked onto his Michonne breaks the sensual stare as she turns and bends at the waist. She loops her thumb into her black panties and pulls the flimsy material down over her hips, down her tone shapely legs until it pools at her ankle.

Rick inhales deeply as he takes in the sexy sight of his naked wife being illuminated by the lights being cast by the pool. Michonne stands straight and steps backwards on the board as if she's going to climb down; instead she runs and dives into the pool. The image of her breast jiggling as she runs and her arched back as she hit the water sears into his brain. It's an image he plans to savor and replay anytime he's apart from her.

Michonne pushes through the surface of the water and flips her hair back, she wipes at the water on her face and smiles at him.

"Are you going to join me?" She teases, "The water feels amazing,"

XxXx00000xXxX

She throws her head back and laughs as she watches Rick rip out of his clothes. She has never seen a man undress so quickly. Her eyes greedily take in Rick in his nude state. His long thick length is only at semi-mast and already looks intimidating. She can't wait to get a taste of him and to have him buried deep inside her.

Michonne knows what he's going to do as soon as he takes several long steps back.

"Rick don't!" She screams out.

It's too late; Rick is already running and cannonballs into the pool. Michonne is splashed with water but all she does is laugh. Rick stays under the water and pops up in front of her. Rick nears her to kiss her and Michonne splashes him with water causing Rick to growl before he dives under the water again. Michonne feels a tug on her leg before she is pulled under the surface of the water, her eyes open and burn slightly from the chlorine. She sees Rick and his magnetic blue eyes smiling as he holds her. He closes the distances and kisses her.

They come up breaking the surface of the water; lips still pressed against each other as their tongues stroke the other in a passionate embrace. Rick breaks away and allows Michonne to inhale a couple of breathes before he takes her lips in a violent deep kiss. Michonne's legs wrap around his waist as her arms go around his neck. Even in the water she feels the heavy weight of his manhood bob against her eager center, she moans at the light touches and the cool water caressing her increasingly hot skin. One of Rick's arms is wrapped around her, pressing her against him as his other sinks below the water and finds the small space between them.

Michonne rips her mouth away from him, throwing her head back she cries out in pleasure as Rick gently strokes her. His lips fall to her exposed neck, where he licks, nips, and kisses the sensitive area between her ear and shoulder. All the while his thumb caresses her pearl as his middle finger circle her opening.

"Mmmmmm," Michonne moans out, throwing her head further back. Her mouth drops open as Rick's lifts her high to place a hardened nipple into his wet mouth. He gently sucks the bud and rolls it between his teeth before gently biting down.

"Yessssss!" She hisses while Rick moves to administrate the same affection on her other breast. His middle finger eases into her hot throbbing canal, she squeezes her inner muscles at the feel of him as he puts pressure to her budding pearl. Rick groans against her breast as she clenches her wall around his finger.

He deftly pumps the lone finger in and out of her never ceasing the caress of the collective bundle of nerves. The thrum between her thighs starts to increase as she rolls her hips on his hand, never has a man brought her this much please with two fingers. She feels her climax draw near as he gently pumps her, strumming out her pleasure with each wave of his hand. Her back arches pushing her breast further into his face while rolling her hips harder against his hand.

Michonne knows her climax is close but she doesn't want to come on his hand, she wants him fully inside of her. She wants her inner walls to collapse on his hard manhood.

With effort she lifts her head and opens her eyes to look into his blue eyes. His eyes are hooded with the intense gaze of lust as he watches her inebriated by pleasure.

"Rick," she pleads, "I need… I need… you inside of me."

A slow smile crosses his lips. Even in her lust drunk state she knows he wants to prolong her pleasure but the need in his eyes mirror her own. He drops his face and sucks gently at her neck, never ceasing his strokes of her as he starts to walk towards the shallow steps of the pool. She marvels at his talent and skill. Once they reach the steps, he removes his lone finger and Michonne whimpers at the loss. He gradually lowers her onto the steps as he covers her with his body the cool water lapping around them as he aligns himself with her.

Michonne feels the tip of his steel at her opening; she pushes her legs further part and thrusts up against him. Rick smiles before lowering his lips and taking hers. She parts her mouth and sucks on his tongue smoothly before their tongues dance against each other. Rick teases her center with his manhood and Michonne whimpers in his mouth. Desperate for him to fill her, she breaks away from the kiss.

"Please Rick… please," she breathes.

With her plea, he smiles and slowly pushes into Michonne, her eyes flutter but she's able to keep her eyes open and on him as he fills her completely.

"Yesssss," She cries out. Rick allows her to adjust to him as he peppers kisses along her face and neck. When Michonne starts to move her hips under his, he swivels his hips, pulls out and dives deeply into her.

"Ahhhh! Rick!" She calls out as her legs wrap tightly around his waist.

Rick's deft thrusts are slow and measured; he dives deeply and pulls out slowly repeating the movement while using one hand on a nearby railing for support and the other hand holding onto Michonne's waist. It is when he drops the hand from her waist to the apex of where their bodies meet and circles Michonne's pearl that her well suddenly breaks upon Rick's steel.

"RIIICCCKKKK!" She screams out as her body stiffens and convulses on his. He groans as her slick inner walls squeeze and collapse on his manhood. Michonne quakes under his touch as his stroking of her walls slows but never stops.

"You're so beautiful when you cum," Rick grunts in her ears while her trembling slows.

As soon as Michonne reaches the end of her orgasm she feels another immediately starts to build as Rick's strokes start to increase with speed, power, and intensity.

"OH…. Oh… what… are you… doing to me?" Michonne moans out as she feels the strumming beat pick up pace as Rick does the same.

"I'm… making love… to… my wife," Rick breathes out.

Rick pauses for the briefest of moments and lifts Michonne out of the pool. He places her on the smooth poolside ground, pushes her legs further apart, and using the leverage of the hard surface drills into her with hard precise strokes. Michonne's head rolls back as she claws at Rick's shoulder needing something to hold onto. He tilts her hips up and doubles the pace of his thrust as he does he hits a familiar spot of pure ecstasy. Her eyes snaps open onto his sparkling sapphire gaze; he has a cocky smirk on his face like he knows all of her secret and in that moment he does.

"You like that?" He growls out.

Michonne wants to reply with a cool retort but her words come out incoherent mumbles which only causes him to smile wider. His thrusts reach a fever pitch as he continues to light the match to her impending explosion.

It is when he takes her ear between his lips and nibbles on the lobe before he whispers, "Come with me Michonne," that causes her to fall over head first into the crevasse of pleasure.

As Michonne gushes her passion around Rick, he explodes his own release deep within her as she quivers and cries out his name repeatedly while her moans her in equal fervor.

* * *

 **A/N: Once again I am soooooo sorry for the long wait. Life has not been the nicest. I do hope you all enjoyed the chapter and are still with me. Also... I know... I know... Andre. I get it... you all want to know what happened and it will be relieved. I'll try not to drag it out like I did my other story.**

 **Sidenote: Did you all enjoy the little strip tease? Random fact about me, I'm a sucker for a good strip tease (hint... hint you'll see one in L4yers soon).**

 **As always THANK YOU FOR READING! I really appreciate you all taking the time and reading this story and sticking with me. Comment. PM. Favor. Follow. Let me know what you think.**

 **Also a SPECIAL THANK YOU TO: QuietGirl72! I appreciate you and the time you given to me and this story.**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Hello Lovelies! Hope everyone had an amazing holiday! Let's dive in shall we? We'll chat more at the bottom.**

* * *

 **Chapter 14**

Only half of her ass is on the bed, the other hangs off the edge. Her legs aches from the strain of holding them in the air spread apart in a wide V. Her toes curl and point straight to the bedroom ceiling. Her back is arch off the bed and her arms are stretch above her head gripping the bed-sheets.

She feels her impending release build in the depth of her core before it snakes out to her outer limps. It moves through her veins, a coursing fire of ecstasy that causes her heart to rage as if in a wild stampede, stomach to tighten to a degree of pain, and breathe to fall from her lips in loud moans. She feels the coursing flames in the tip of her pedicure toes before the feeling repeats on a pleasurable loop.

His left arm wraps around her right thigh, holding her steady as she hovers half off the bed. Two fingers thrust in and out of her saturated heat at a torturous slow pace prolonging her impending release. He gently sucks on her engorge clit while his tongues languidly sweep over the bundle of nerves.

His name falls from her lips a mixture of a moan, a plea, and a prayer; begging him to allow her to release but praying he keeps her at the wonderful edge of bliss forever. His finger slips from her slick tight canal as he releases her clit from his mouth with a final lick. She whimpers as his lips moves from her pearl to her heated opening, she feels his tongue flatten out before he slowly licks the entire length of her love box.

A shiver rips down her spine as he presses his mouth against her opening, his tongue dips into her while he moves his thumb onto her love button. He caresses gently, rubbing the bundle of nerves in a counter-clockwise motion as he writes a love sonnet with his deft tongue within the depths of her inner lips.

"OH FUCK!" She cries out. Her eyes roll back, her toes relax briefly before curling back and pointing to the sky. Her legs still parted in a V trembles violently as she falls into the chasm of bliss that awaits her. She feels her release gush out of her into his awaiting mouth, he moans at her taste and the vibration causes another spasm of release to wash over her.

Her left hand releases the bed-sheet and falls into his thick curls, she tightens her hand into a fist as both parted legs collapse onto him. She grinds her hips against his mouth trying to ride out and prolong the sensational orgasm she's experiencing. His adroit tongue continues to write a manuscript in cursive of how to truly pleasure a woman as his thumbs strums her clit like an expert musician.

Just as her orgasm starts to fade, he switches again and starts another manuscript with his tongue on her clit while his long elegant fingers curve and digs deep within her pulsating cove. His long fingers touch a familiar spot and on his fifth entry, she feels herself gushing again in another wave of release.

"SHIIITTTT! OHHHH GODDD!" She screams out. The wave of pleasure lifts her ass and back off the bed, her thighs press together and traps him between the valley of her legs. Her vagina throbs victoriously as she grinds against his face, riding her out orgasm against his tongue. The evidence of her release wetting her inner thighs and slinking down the crevasse of her ass.

XxXx00000xXxX

Her entire body relaxes beneath him as she collapses half on the bed, half off it. Rick smirks down as he takes in his wife completely stated from the pleasure he lovingly doles out to her. Michonne's eyes are heavy and her breath is labor but he's not quite through with bringing her pleasure.

It is early afternoon Sunday and they've been making love since their initial pool side session. Rick should be well stated but he can't keep his hands off Michonne. He wants to be bury deep within her at every opportunity. He wants her nectar coating his lips and tongue. He wants her embed in his arms. He wants to make up for their lost time together and literally drill into her how good they are together.

"How are you doin' wife?" He asks with a cocky grin gracing his face. Michonne mumbles something incoherent mix with several curse words causing him to chuckle. He blankets his body over hers and takes her lips against his own. Pulling at her lips, he pushes her mouth open and allows her to taste herself upon his tongue. Michonne moans against his lips and he deepens the kiss wanting to consume every part of her. Rick only breaks the kiss to move her slightly back onto the bed, still hanging half off the edge.

He aligns himself with her slick opening and slowly sink into her velvet inner walls. Rick groans at the feeling of filling his wife as she coos breathlessly beneath him. He fills her completely and pauses, allowing her tender sex to adjust to him. He's amaze at how tight she still feels; they have been making love for the better part of twelve hours and she still felt like the first time he slipped inside of her. She grips him like a vise tightening around him as if she was made for his dick alone.

 _Mine._ He growls internally to himself. _All Mine!_

Rick test to see if she's ready by slowly pulling out and sinking back into her; Michonne gasps but thrust her hips up to meet his.

"Ready wife?" He asks as he repeats his precise movement, swiveling his hips causing Michonne's eyes to flutter close.

"Yes, husband," she breathes out with a labor breath.

"Good because you're in for a treat," Rick states.

He widens his stance before he takes Michonne's ankles in each hand and parts her legs into a wide V again. Rick pulls out and thrust into her wetness causing Michonne to mumble something under her breath before she moans loudly. Rick fights within himself to keep the slow pace of their love making, to keep his strokes slow and measure. He wants to thrust harder, faster, and deeper into his wife but he enjoys the slow build of ecstasy and the withering look on Michonne's face. He loves watching the display of pleasure dance across her face as he hit the lush spot deep within the walls of her sex. Rick enjoys feeling her increasing wetness and her pulsating walls as he drills in and out of her. Changing up his rhythm he switches the pace and sex her with short jabs in and out with his hard steel pipe, he swivels his hips with each thrust which causes Michonne cries out.

"OH MY -"

"You like that wife?"

"Yessss," Michonne hisses as her eyes rolls back in her head.

Rick plows deeper into the tight wetness of his wife as she quivers beneath him from the pleasure he causes her; his dick swell and twitch with pride at the ecstasy that dance across her exquisite face. She's a sight to behold her alluring dark chocolate skin with her matching eyes laden with lust. Her pillow soft lips parted as she pants heavily and moan obscenely, crying out each time he hits her sweet spot. Her flat taunt stomach and muscular arms flexes as she grips and scratches his forearm. Her perfect chocolate breast bouncing erotically with each thrust of his hips.

A light sheen of sweat coats her tantalizing skin. Rick bends over and takes Michonne's harden nipple in his mouth; he sucks on the dark mound before he bits down gently causing her to yelp out. He then licks the bitten pebble and repeats the process with her other breast all the while never stopping his steady thrusting. Michonne thrust her hips up to meet his and Rick eyes roll to the back of his head for a moment, loving the sensation of Michonne wrap around him. Her increase arousal causes wetness to cover his manhood with each entry inside her velvety warm walls. Rick dives deep and Michonne pulse and squeezes around him, moaning while a tremble rolls through her body.

"FUCK! OH GOD!"

Sweat covers his face and falls onto his chest as he drills into her, continuing his administration on her breast. He gives her left breast a finally lick before he moves his lips to her mouth. His tongue sweeps across her lips before he dives into her awaiting mouth. Michonne kisses him back, her tongue wrestling and dancing against his. She moans into his mouth as Rick moves and sucks her bottom lip before he releases her lips.

"You. Like. That. Baby?" Rick asks punctuating each word with a hard thrust.

"YYYYYAAAAASSSSS. FUCK YES!"

His hips increase speed as he plows deeper into his wife. Rick can tell Michonne is close to coming again by the way her legs tremble sporadically in his hands and as her juicy inner walls pulses around his harden manhood. He's been at the edge of his own release for several minutes, it has been by sheer will power that he hasn't cum yet. He wants to time their orgasm perfectly. He continues to drill into her, his length pistoling in and out of her.

Still holding her ankles, he places biting kisses on the flesh of her skin before he lifts her ankles higher and tilts her hips up. He then powers down into her, increasing the speed of his thrust.

Her response is immediate as she screams out, "OH MY FUCKING GOD! SHIT! FUCK!"

Rick doubles his efforts, planting his feet firmly onto the carpet of his bedroom floor. His hips slams against Michonne as she wildly pushes hers to meet his. The sounds of the bed creaking, the headboard slamming against the wall, and the lewd sound of their skin slapping against each other joins the chorus of Michonne's moan and his loud grunts. He loves the sound their love making orchestrates; it is a combination of sensual and lascivious melody of their physical love.

He loves hearing her scream out her pleasure, it feeds his ego and helps direct him into maximizing her pleasure. He feels her legs stiffens before they start trembling in his hands and her silken vise walls starts to pulse around his manhood. Rick knows Michonne is seconds away from coming. He leans down against her, never slowing his thrusts and kisses her deeply.

"OH GOD!" Michonne cries out breaking away from the scorching kiss.

"No… not God. It's me, Rick." He whispers licking and kissing her earlobe.

With that Michonne goes stiff with her climax as she screams out his name, "RRRIIIICCCCCKKKK!"

He feels her body pulsing in erratic waves with her release. He feels her wetness gush onto his steel. His length twitches, he thrust violently into her quivering and effusive center several more times before he buries himself deeply within her and releases his essence.

Once he feels his length beginning to soften he pulls out of Michonne who lays listless beneath him. He sluggishly moves onto the center of the bed, pulling Michonne along with him. He looks down and finds she's already asleep. A proud smile crosses his face as he pulls Michonne against his chest and is lull to sleep by her gentle snore.

XxXx00000xXxX

Michonne wakes up deliciously achy. Her muscles are sore. Her lips puffy and swollen from being kissed so deeply and repeatedly. Her sex is tender and pulse with the remnants of multiple orgasms. Even her toes seem to cramp from the constant toe curling. She looks over to see Rick soundly sleeping, after the things he did to her with his mouth, fingers, and dick his rest is well deserving. She stretches gingerly and slips from the bed. Her stomach growls angrily. After being sexed as good as she was, she needs to refuel.

Michonne searches the room for something to wear before remembering her dress and undergarments are still somewhere outside by the pool. She quietly opens several of Rick's dressers' drawers until she finds his t-shirt drawer. She grabs one and slips it on before she leaves the room leaving the door ajar.

Navigating through his immaculate house Michonne pictures herself walking and navigating the halls every day and what it will feel like, she smiles at the thought. Michonne stops at an open doorway of a child's bedroom. Her smile falters as she thinks about Rick's children and Andre. She only briefly considers not entering the room but curiosity pulls her in.

 _This must be Judith's room._ She thinks to herself as she looks around.

She expects a lot of pinks, dolls, and teddy bears, even though there is a decent amount of the former it is the sight of action figures, building blocks, and toy trucks that causes the smile to return to Michonne's lips. There's a small table in her play area set for a tea party. There's a porcelain pink tea set spread-out on the table and occupying the chairs are a bald baby doll with large blue eyes, a blue stuff moose, a Thor actions figure with its hair braided in pigtails, and batman action figure. Michonne already likes this little girl; she is excited to play with the small child and her eccentric collection of toys, already knowing the child has quite the imagination.

She leaves the room now curious about Rick's eldest, Carl. Michonne searches for his room. The first door she opens is a linen closet. The second is a plainly decorated guess bedroom with a neatly made queen size bed, a large TV mounted to the wall and a desk tuck in the corner. She finds Carl's room with the last door she opens, her mouth gaps wide as she takes in the room.

She expects it to be disorderly and dirty like a typical teenager's room would be but the room is spotless. His bed is neatly made. There's no clothes on the floor or on a nearby chair. His desk is organized and tidy. Michonne would have guess this was another guess bedroom but the pictures neatly placed on the walls dictate otherwise.

Michonne steps deeper into his room and looks around. His bookshelf is filled with not only an extensive collection of comic books but other novels as well; Shakespeare, Robert Frost, Maya Angelou, F. Scotts Fitzgerald, and more. Pride swells up in Michonne's chest as she picks up a warn copy of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. She puts the book back on the shelf and inspects the rest of the room.

There's an easel by his window with a half finish painting of what looks to be the start of a portray of a girl with wide eyes. On his walls, there's painting, drawings, and even some digital artwork. She can see that Carl is a talented artist and she grows excited at the thought of talking to him about comics and art. Michonne wants to indulge deeper into his work but she feels as if she's invading his privacy; her stomach also growls loudly, signally her to return to her original mission, food.

Michonne leaves the room as she found it and she slowly makes her way downstairs until she reaches her finally destination the kitchen. Her stomach grumbles again as she pulls open the fridge, she pulls out leftovers and begins her tasks of warming up the left over barbecue. Opening a bag of Doritos, she munches on the chips as she waits for the microwave to do it's magic. She hums and pops another chip in her mouth when she hears the distance sound of the phone ringing. Michonne immediately recognize the ring tone, placing the bag on the table she goes in search of her phone.

The ringing stops as soon as she reaches the phone which sits by her purse in the front room. Collecting her phone Michonne returns to the kitchen, she unlocks the screen and starts to check her notification just as the ringing starts again. Andrea's name and picture comes on her screen.

"Hello?"

"Michy!" Andrea sings into the line, "Are you home? Or did you stay in town and ride Rick's dick like he was a fucking stallion?"

"What do you want Andrea?"

"It's quiet. I don't hear the sound of the city… so I am assuming you you're still in town."

"Andrea."

"Just tell me did you stay with Rick?"

"Yes, we talked."

"Hmmm. I bet you talked. So y'all made up?"

"We're better."

"Was the make-up sex worth it?"

"I am going to hang-up."

Andrea laughs on the other end while Michonne quietly chuckles making her around the kitchen to collect her warmed food. Andrea chats about nothing while Michonne eats standing up by the sink. When there's a break in the conversation Michonne asks, "Where is Shane?"

"I fucked him to sleep. Rode his ass into oblivion. Then I sucked the skin off his dick."

"Andrea, please I'm eating."

Andrea laughs and asks, "Where's Rick?"

"Let's just say he's getting some well deserve rest."

Both women chortle before talking about the upcoming week.

"Are you heading back to Atlanta tonight?"

"I'll head up early in the morning. I have that disposition of the Foster case at ten."

"Tomorrow morning huh? Want to get as much of Rick's deep dicking an-"

Michonne hangs up on Andrea before she can continue. She giggles to herself, there is some truth in Andrea's word. She does plan to stay as long as possible in the warmth of Rick's bed. She continues to eat the leftover beef brisket at the counter, humming to herself as she thinks about taking a page from Andrea and riding Rick. Since last night he has been in control of their love making; Michonne feels her body temperature rise as she thinks about riding Rick. She'll start off with his face and that wonderful tongue of his and then-.

The ringing phone pauses her thought process. She stuffs some more brisket in her mouth as she glances at her phone. Her mother's name and face appears on the screen and causes Michonne to become still. She swallows her food and stares at the phone until the calls goes to voicemail. Michonne continues to stare at her phone until it chimes again with the notification of a voicemail.

"Michonne. It is mother. I-"

She deletes the messages and starts to go through her notification and see the several missed calls from Judge, her mother, and Glenn. Her mother reminding her about family dinner; she ignores the text and continues to go through her messages. Nibbling on her food, she reads Glenn's text to call her. Wiping her hand on a nearby napkin, she taps the screen and navigates the various options to call Glenn.

Her younger brother answers on the second ring, "Where have you been?"

"Hi to you too Glenn."

An exasperated sigh leaves his mouth, "Hi Mimi."

At the sound of the nickname Glenn use to call her, she smiles and replies in kind, "Hi Glenny."

He chuckles but she knows he's annoy by the nickname, "I hate when you call me that."

"You use to love it."

"When I was four, Mimi. When I was four years old."

"Well no matter what, you'll always be my little Glenny."

Her little brother grunts in annoyance, "Did you make it home okay?"

When Michonne doesn't answer quickly, Glenn grunts again.

"You're still in Kings County?"

"Yes… Rick and I we needed to-"

"I don't need the details."

"Talk. I was going to say, we needed to talk."

"Yet you stayed the night?"

"It was too late to drive up plus I'm a grown ass woman and-"

"Mich! I do not need the details."

Releasing a deep sigh, she asks, "You wanted me to call, what's up?"

"Did you talk to Mama yet?"

"No."

"She wants to know if you're coming to family dinner."

She allows her silence to answer his question.

"Damn it… now Maggie and I along with Noah must suffer through dinner."

Michonne scoffs at him, "Please, you all do not suffer anything from mother. She dotes on you all and picks on me."

"You're not here to see how much she misses-"

"You do not 'miss' someone by ripping them apart each time you see them."

"She's wrong for that but Mama-"

"Please tell me this call isn't about mother and family dinner because we can skip the argument and I can hang up now."

"No, Michonne," Glenn says with a heavy sigh, "I wanted to talk to you about Rick."

"Rick?"

"Yes, what do you know about G. and Cunningham?"

"Uhh… G. and Cunningham? Isn't that the company we were talking about the other night at dinner?"

"Yes, what do you know about it? What do you know about Rick's wealth?"

"Rick's wealth?" Michonne stands straight and glances around the large open kitchen and into the family room. She clutches her cell phone and presses it close to her ear, "Glenn, stop bullshitting and tell me what's going on."

"Last night at the barbecue, Abraham was talking about his job and he mentioned something about G. and Cunningham. He mentioned needing to prep for this important meeting Monday with some of the higher ups. I didn't think much of it because I know the company has a lot of employees in Kings County and Macon. This morning, I started to do some research on my Project Z presentation for tomorrow when I came across an article about the CEO of G. and Cunningham, Rick Grimes."

Everything else Glenn says comes out as static. Michonne glances around his house again. She looks down at her ten-thousand-dollar wedding ring that Rick slipped back onto her finger during the night. She recalls the way he fidgeted during the G. and Cunningham conversation and how he quickly changed the subject. A quick biting anger rises in her chest. She tries to make since of Rick's lie.

 _He didn't lie._ Her rational mind reminds her.

His omission. She tries to push the anger away as she tries to make since of Rick's omission. She almost feels blindsided by the new knowledge, yet she doesn't. He never truly hid his wealth. She recalls the horrible family dinner, things could have gone so differently if Rick has spoken about his company.

"Per the article, it says Rick's net worth is a little under a billion dollar because he recently sold part equity of his company but with the government contracts, it will continue to increase and possibly double within ten years."

"Can you send me the link to the article?"

"I'll do it right now," Glenn says, "Uhh… why didn't he mention this during dinner? Why didn't he tell Judge and Mama about his company? Maybe things wouldn't have gone so badly?"

Michonne already knows the answer because she knows him. Rick didn't want her parents to like him because of his wealth or potential status. A part of her understands his reasoning but her increasing anger and hurt at his lack of trust in her doesn't allow the thought to process clearly.

"Do not tell them."

"Michonne-"

"This is not your news to tell. So, please, do not tell them."

Glenn sighs but agrees, "You know I'm a terrible lair."

"I know, give Maggie a head up and she's help you navigate dinner."

"This can change their perspective of him."

"I know but…" Michonne pauses, "Send me the article."

"You should already have it."

She moves her phone from her ears and taps on the screen. There's a new text message from Glenn, she taps on the message and then taps on the link to the article. The link opens the internet browser on her phone and the article with the title, 'The Future of G. and Cunningham', appears across her screen. She scrolls down the web page and immediately stops on an old picture of Rick. It looks to be about several years old, and displays a younger looking Rick. He is clean shaven; his hair is cut short and neat but his blue eyes seem to blaze off the screen. Even though he's handsome in the picture it does nothing to capture the full weight of Rick's attractiveness and his piercing blue eyes.

"Michonne?" Glenn calls out cutting into her thoughts.

"Thanks for the information Glenn."

"No problem. What are you going to do?"

"Talk to him."

"Be nice, Mich."

Michonne grumbles under her breath before she thanks him again and ends their call. She turns her full attention on the article. She stares at his picture with the caption reading, CEO of G. and Cunningham, Richard Grimes. After staring for a long moment at the picture she finally starts in on the article.

Completely immerse in reading Michonne doesn't hear the footsteps behind her or the soft call of her name. It is not until arms wrap around her that she yelps out in surprise and turns to face Rick.

"Hey, sorry I scared you," He says with a light chuckle. He leans in to kiss her when Michonne dodges his kiss and worms her way out of his arms.

"What's wrong?"

"Tell me about G. and Cunningham or should I say Grimes and Cunningham?" Michonne demands as she turns her phone screen to him and shows him the picture of his younger self.

"Damn, I was going to tell you about that."

"Well then tell me now."

* * *

A/N: Hello All! How was your holiday? Hope all went well. I was going to post this chapter and catch up my writing last week but Netflix! *shakes fist angrily at Netflix*. I got caught up watching this new series Travelers (which is amazing and I suggest everyone to go watch it, so they can do a season 2 for selfish reasons of course).

So… we're FINALLY going to find out about G. and Cunningham! I know it is a cliffhanger but this one is not too bad, right? Good news, the next chapter is finish, just need to do some editing work so there will not be too long of a wait for the update unless Netflix surprises me again *gives glaring sideeyes to Netflix*.

My goal is to move the story along because we still need to meet Rick's children, resolve things such as Michonne's parents, answer questions like what happen with Andre and where is Lori as well as other open ended things that may or may not affect our Richonne.

As always, thank you for taking the time out to read my little tale. Thank you for commenting, favoriting, and following. I truly, truly appreciate it all. Happy New Years to everyone, be safe out there this weekend.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

She's pissed off.

Rick woke minutes ago, to an empty bed. Her side was cool, evidence she had been gone for some time. As soon as he realized Michonne wasn't in his bed, in his arms panic rose within his chest. He was worried that she left him again. If she did Rick knew he wouldn't be able to get over her rejection of him again. He quelled his panic and got out of bed in search of his wife.

He found her standing at the kitchen counter with her back to him. A palpable relief flooded his chest; his knees almost gave out at the sight of her dressed only in his t-shirt. Immediately he wanted her again, he wanted to kiss her, make love to her and watch her lose herself beneath him. As soon as he touched her, he knew she was upset. When she turned around and set her darkened gaze upon him he knew something was wrong.

Now looking at her, the evidence of her anger was clear in her stiff stance. Her arms were folded over her chest and a deep scowl graced her lovely face. Her dark brown eyes burned with a mixture of anger, distrust, and annoyance. It is the distrust that caused him worry. They sat at the kitchen island, Michonne's leg crossed with one foot tapping the air impatiently. Even in her current state of anger, she looked sexy especially wearing his t-shirt and most likely nothing else since Rick was sure her underwear were somewhere in his back yard. He makes a mental note to retrieve her clothing items. He would hate to have to explain to Carl what a woman's bra and underwear were doing in the back yard. Slowly Rick returns his attention to Michonne's simmering anger.

"Where do you want me to start?"

"The beginning is good."

He nods, scratches his beard before he releases a sigh as he shifts on one of the island bar stools. He focuses on Michonne, connecting with her chocolate orbs.

"My maternal great-grandparents, the Cunningham's, were oil tycoons in southwest Texas. They struck oil during the great depression and purchased acres of land around their oil field but only mined one part of it. My grandfather expanded the business and started drilling up more oil on the old purchased land which in turned increased his wealth."

"In Vegas, you said your mother came from old money but she was disowned when she married your father."

Rick nods, he recalls telling Michonne that part of the story to help him hurdle any remaining walls she had about them. She uncrossed her legs but her arms remained crossed against her chest.

"Yes, my mother was sent out east to college in Virginia, where she met my father. That summer instead of returning back to Texas she came down to Etterlene and spent the summer with my father."

"And by the end of the summer, they were married much to your grandfather's dismay," Michonne finishes for him.

"Grandfather said to either divorce my father or be disowned. My mother picked exile from the family she knew to be with my father. My father's family wasn't poor, they were your typical working middle class Americans but it was still a lot different then what my mom was used to. She was used to having people cooking, cleaning, and driving for her. She was use to going into any store and buying what she wanted but it all changed once her father took away her access to their money. It was hard for my parents but they made do."

"The article said G. and Cunningham was established over twenty-five years ago, but it wasn't until recently that it exploded into a conglomerate."

"My parents moved to Kings County forty years ago, when my mom was pregnant with my brother. She was a high school math teacher and my father was a manager at the lumber mill. Things were well until I was about nine years old, when my father was laid off work. He tried to find other jobs but he was among a couple hundred people who lost their job. My mom took the burden of being the family's main provider, my dad worked odd jobs to help but things became tight. We as a family became resourceful."

"Your mom didn't ask her father for help?"

He shakes his head; he watches the cloud of anger cover her face at the thought of his grandfather's lack of help. A smirk pulls at the corner of his lips.

"So, what happened? If your father started G. and Cunningham how did the Cunningham name get attached to the business? Did he ask for a loan from your grandfather?"

"My uncle."

Her face falls in confusion. Her arms no longer crossed over her chest. He allows his eyes to drop to her hardened nipples for a brief second before he pulls them up again. Rick is certain it is due to the chill of the air conditioner and not her lust for him.

"Your uncle?"

"My mother's brother. She had two older siblings and a younger sibling. She was closest to her younger brother Carl Cunningham. He was the only relative from our mother's side we knew. He would briefly come around during the holidays and was always sending stuff for our birthdays. He didn't know about our struggle for the first year or so but as soon as he found out he offered to help. My mother refused to take his money. During this time my father was working on surrounding farms. He wasn't only helping on the farms but also helping provide security, this is when he and another buddy of his started their small security business. Much against my mother's wishes my Uncle Carl gave him a small loan, and Grimes and Co was established."

"Grimes and Co?"

"Company."

She rolls her eyes and mumbles before speaking louder, "Smart ass, I know what Co. means. I meant why the name change to G. and Cunningham?"

"In tribute to my uncle. By the time, I was fifteen things with the business were going well. My dad even repaid the loan my uncle gave him. The business wasn't thriving but it was good, steady. It offered people steady work. When I was sixteen my uncle passed away. My father changed the name to G. and Cunningham in his honor."

Michonne gasps, her warm eyes drop with sadness as she reaches out and touches his arm, giving him a gentle squeeze.

"How did he?" She asks in a whisper.

"Car accident."

There's a fresh pain that dwells in her eyes, Rick makes a mental note of it but says nothing else. Michonne nods and prompts Rick to continue.

"The funeral was in Texas, my mother loaded us up and we drove to Texas to pay our respects. I was sixteen and my brother was eighteen, we weren't kids anymore so my mother explained the family situation and that we may not be welcomed. I was angry at my grandparents and my other uncle and aunt, that they would shun us because my parents fell in love. When we got there, it wasn't at all what we expected. My grandfather practically fell to his knees and begged my parents for forgiveness for his stubbornness. My uncle's death brought us together, of course there were old wounds but…" Rick trails off and shrugs his shoulder.

"We reunited with long lost cousins, our uncle, and aunt as well as our grandparents and other extended family. Grandfather reestablished us in the Cunningham will and all was well."

"And just like that you all are crazy rich again?"

"Somethan' like that," Rick says with a chuckle, when Michonne doesn't respond his laughter dries up. He coughs to clear his throat before continuing on, "When I was eighteen I received part of my inheritance from the Cunningham's. I was in college but I dropped out halfway through the second semester, I married Lori my high-school girlfriend and between the two of us, along with Shane, we blew through much of my inheritance in three years."

"How much?"

"Seven million."

"Damn Rick!"

He feels his face turn red with embarrassment.

"I was young and stupid. I didn't know better and I just wanted to have fun."

"How can you spend seven million dollars in three years?"

"It was closer to two years and a few months."

"That doesn't help… how?"

"By being young and stupid. Partying, traveling, and buying shit I never truly needed."

"So you ran out of money and stopped partying?"

"Nah, Lori got pregnant with Carl. We were in LA and she got sick, I thought it was just a bad hangover. I took her to the hospital and we found out she was pregnant."

"She was partying when-"

Rick can hear the rise of anger in Michonne's voice, he shakes his head and cuts her off. "She didn't know… we didn't know. As soon as we found out, we put a stop to our wild nights."

Michonne's face tightens with residual anger but she nods at him. Rick skips the part about Lori not wanting a baby, she thought they were too young. Rick did too but he couldn't imagine himself parting with his child. He talked Lori into keeping the baby, promising to always take care of them. It was one of the best decisions Rick ever made.

"We calmed down, moved back to Kings County and brought a house. We didn't have much money to our names, so we sold almost everything we had. The expensive cars, the penthouse, the excessive jewelry, and clothing. The money we made was enough for a little while but that wasn't going to be sufficient to raise a kid and support a family. I wasn't getting another payout to my inheritance until I was twenty-five, so I decided to go work for my dad at G. and Cunningham. That lasted all of five months before I quit. I couldn't tolerate working with him. I begged my mother for a loan to hold me over until my inheritance came in but-"

"You had Carl when you were twenty-two… you wanted them to float you for three years?"

Rick chuckles and Michonne stares at him incredulously.

"Like I said I was young and stupid."

"Yes, you were."

"I've gotten better with age," Rick says with a teasing smirk.

Her eyes narrow but a small smile plays on the corner of her full lips, "That has yet to be determined, continue on."

"Everyone refused to help, so I got a job."

"As a cop?"

"Are you going to keep interrupting me?"

"I just want all the details."

"Women."

"Men. Now, details!"

"It was something I always wanted to do. I was studying criminology before I dropped out of college."

"Did you go to the academy?"

"Nah, not at first. I took the physical and the written examine and passed with such high marks, they allowed me to join the force. Carl was born and we settled into a routine. Later, I attended courses at the academy on weekends. Right around the time Carl was two years old, my father got sick, cancer, and I started helping with the business. When I got the second part of my inheritance payout, I used over half of it to invest in the business. After surgery, chemo, and some intense treatment, my father was in remission but he didn't take over the company again. I remained CEO and continued to build my father's company and slowly transformed it into my own. We expanded the business into security of commercial businesses as well as home."

"If business was doing so well, why did you stay a deputy?"

"Being a cop afforded me the insight to make the company better. Answering 911 calls and coming off shifts, it helps me look at the G. and Cunningham and apply what I learn on duty to make safety and security a premium service. Also, I love doing it."

"Wasn't working as a cop and running a business hard for your family? Lori and Carl?"

His face falls in thought for a full minute, he can sense Michonne watching him closely before he answers, "I don't think it was for Lori, maybe for Carl but not for Lori. I made it a point to spend as much time with them as my schedule would allow. Looking back, I know I could have spent more time with them but…"

He trails off and doesn't finish his statement. His eyes focus on an object in the distance. "My father passed away when I was thirty-one, he had a stroke and my mother relocated to Savannah. I slowed down, I practically gave the reign to the entire company to Morgan. I hired more people to work and oversee G. and Cunningham, Abraham Ford, that's how we met. He in turn brought on his cousin, Eugene Porter, who as Glenn said, helped revolutionize the company. Eugene and Daryl worked together to design a tracker drone, that was the first government contract we did."

"Why did you sell part of the business?"

He moves his eyes back onto her lush brown orbs, her eyes are one of his favorite features. If it were possible, he would stare into the depths of her chocolate brown forever.

"Why did you sell part of your business, Rick?"

He inhales deeply and with the release of his breath he answers, "Lori."

"Lori?" It is not the answer she expects. Her almond shaped eyes widen. She nods once and prompts him to explain with another nod of her head.

"Before my father passed, we were approached to sell the business. I, along with my family, refused; it was part of my family legacy. When Lori left, running the business, being a deputy, and a single father was too much. I tried to continue for months but I saw the affects it was having on Carl and I knew something had to give. I stepped away from the company and took a leave of absence from the sheriff's department for eight months to get my house in order."

Rick looks away from Michonne's watchful eyes and takes another heavy intake of breath, "G. and Cunningham was approached again to sell the business and after discussing it with my mother and brother we decided to sell part of the company. I stayed on as an absentee CEO but left the control of the company to Morgan the CFO, Abraham the COO, my mother the president and my brother the executive vice president. They run the day to day operations and the only time I'm truly needed is when a board vote needs to be made. My kids became my focus. Between getting the remainder of my inheritance and G. and Cunningham, my family and I could live a comfortable life. I wasn't going to go back to the sheriff's department but…"

"You were bored," Michonne finishes for him. Rick chuckles returning his eyes upon Michonne who's also smiling gently, her soft eyes taking him in with a new light and adoration dancing within the brown lights.

"Yeah," Rick admits, "I was bored out of my mind. I loved staying at home with my kids but-"

"You probably couldn't stand the same day to day drum of it."

He nods and scratches his chin, "There's not much action in Kings County but it is different everyday plus I am sure I was getting on Carl's nerves."

Michonne giggles before she sighs and shakes her head, "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell me about your company? Why didn't you say anything at dinner with my parents? It could have changed how it all went and… I feel like you lied to me."

"I didn't lie… omitted it perhaps-"

"A lie of omission is still a lie."

"Don't lawyer me."

"I am not… I am hurt that you didn't trust me enough to tell me."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier but I am telling you now. I was always going to tell you."

"When?" Michonne bites out, he can tell she's battling controlling her anger. She stands from her stool and walks around the kitchen island.

"I was just waiting for the right time."

"The right time would have been when we met."

Rick scoffs and laughs without humor at her, slowly following after her.

"What's so funny?"

"When we met Michonne? Like you told me that your father was a State Supreme Court Judge and is in the running to become the next Vice President? Or when you forget to casually mention that you were a Rhee and part of one of the most affluent families in Atlanta? Or maybe when you told me about your aspiring political career?"

Rick immediately regrets his retort when he sees Michonne's face fall into a scowl and the pain race across her features. Michonne opens her mouth to say something but promptly closes her mouth, her lips settle into a frown.

"I am sorry, Michonne. I didn't… I shouldn't have said all of that. When people know, it changes the way they look at me and I didn't want you to like… to love me based on what I may have in my bank account. I do not want to be liked because of my status or wealth. I wanted you to fall for my merits and for me and not G. and Cunningham."

"You think I am that type of person? That I would want, care, like or even love you based off something so swallow and frivolous?"

"No Michonne. I know you're not that type of person. Since the moment I met you. I knew you weren't that person. It was solidified when I put that ring on your finger and you didn't bat an eye because you didn't take your eyes off mine."

"So, why didn't you tell me?"

"A part of me was scared; I was worried that things between us might change. Also, it's the same reason you don't start a conversation with I'm a Rhee; it's the same reason I don't tell people about G. and Cunningham. You don't want people judging you based on your family, your connection, your status and wealth. You want them to like you for you and not the things you could possibly do for them."

She looks away and her face softens in understanding.

"I was always going to tell you, Michonne. I swear I was going to tell you but how do you start a conversation like that?"

"How about, hey Michonne by the way my net worth is near the billion-dollar range."

Despite himself, he chuckles at her and her scowl increases, "I'm not that well off. A few hundreds of millions sure but… a billion?"

"Rick," Michonne says with an exasperated sigh.

He chuckles again and sobers up as he pulls her into his body, "I'm sorry, I didn't tell you sooner."

"Why didn't you say anything at dinner? My parents would have-"

"Do you honestly think it would have made much of a difference with Judge and Vivian?" Rick asks cutting her off.

Michonne's head drops to their feet before she looks up at him and shakes her head slightly, "Not by much. I think they would have been _nicer_ but… it wouldn't have been much of a difference."

"I figured as much. That is one reason I didn't say anything, plus if I ever win your parents over to my side I want it to do it all with my merits and winning personality."

She chuckles in his arms and rolls her eyes, "Winning over my parents? That is going to be a herculean task."

He dips his head to her neck and kisses her soft flesh before he whispers along her ear, "Well…the way you keep calling out my name like a god, you'd swear I was Zeus."

Michonne laughs harder, she pushes Rick away but he quickly recaptures her inside the embrace of his strong arms. He dips his head back towards her this time taking her lips against his own. Before he can deepen the kiss with a sweep of his tongue Michonne breaks away and gazes up into his eyes.

"Rick, G. and Cunningham is part of who you are as a person. Working and building that company the way you did over the years is a prime example of your hard work, ethics, and determination. It is part of you, just like being a Rhee is part of who I am. We can't hide these parts of ourselves from other people, let alone each other okay?"

"Okay."

This time it is Michonne who takes the lead with the kiss. Her tongue presses against his lips and he opens his mouth allowing her tongue to sway against his. Placing his hands on the side of her face, he deepens the kiss before he breaks away. Her lips are parted and there's a haze of lust swimming in her molten orbs.

"Does it matter?"

"Hmmm?"

"Does it matters? My net worth? The money? If I didn't have all of this? If I had a mountain of debt?"

She reaches up and brushes his bottom lip with her thumb before she smiles up at him lovingly, "Rick, you could have given me a Ring Pop or a life saver mint as a wedding ring and I still would have married you. It doesn't matter."

He sighs and gives her a quick kiss on the cheek before pressing his forehead against hers, "Thank you."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Hello ALL! Sorry for the long wait, I know I promise I would have this chapter up weeks ago but things have been crazy on my end. I am so sorry. I am trying to get better with my time management but sometimes things happen that you just have to handle.**

 **Anyways, what are your thoughts on this chapter? Now we know Rick's background and the status of his wealth. Do you think Michonne would have cared if he didn't have a pot to piss in? (Forgive my turn of phrase).**

 **As always THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! For reading and sticking with me! Also for trusting me with your beloved OTP, I will do my best to do them justice. Thank you for favoriting, commenting and following my story! I truly appreciate it all.**

 **-fi-**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"Michonne."

"Michonne."

"MICHONNE!"

"Hmmm?" Michonne asks snapping to attention looking up to Glenn and Sasha, "What did you say?"

"Did you not hear anything we said?" Glenn asks. Michonne, Sasha, and Glenn were camped out around her office's desk, enjoying the surprise lunch Glenn brought them.

"I'm sorry," She says with a shrug of her shoulders before picking at her chicken strawberry salad, "What did you say?"

"We were talking to you for the last ten minutes. Where did you go?" Glenn questions tilting his head.

"She's probably fantasizing about her night with Rick. You should have seen the way she walked in… walking all bow-legged with a silly smile plastered on her face. She's dazed by Rick's di-"

"Jeez! Sasha! Stop hanging around Andrea. I do not want to hear about my big sister's sex life. That's disgusting! I do not need that imagine in my head!" Glenn says cutting Sasha off and dropping his fork into his food container. She gives a heavy chuckle while Michonne rolls her eyes.

"But it is okay if we get stuck with the image of you and Maggie? We walked in on you and Maggie… multiple times!" Michonne retorts.

"RIGHT!" Sasha yells in exasperation before stuffing the remainder of her lettuce turkey wrap in her mouth.

"Last time, I told you we were going to talk," Glenn comments coolly before finishing off his tonic water.

"Yea… 'talking'. Is that what the kids call it now?" Michonne scoffs pushing her chicken strawberry salad aside having her fill.

"It is like you all never heard of locks," Sasha adds shaking her head, "It is that small thing on the door knob that keeps people from having to bleach their eyes after walking in on you two."

Michonne chortles softly and quips, "I've seen your scrawny ass cheeks one time too many."

"Scrawny? Maggie loves my ass. She says I have a nice bubble butt."

Sasha breaks out into a loud laugh, "Bubble butt?"

"I'm sure she does but that doesn't mean I have to see your ass in action," Michonne adds.

"Or hear it," Sasha says her laughter fading, "you guys are ridiculously loud. Sound like two hyenas mating."

"No, we're not."

"You guys are loud."

Glenn raises his hand and waves them in front of him as he shakes his head, "How did this conversation end up on me and my healthy adult sex life?"

"We were talking about Michonne and the good sexing she got from Rick that caused her to fall into a deep daydream. You didn't want to hear about it."

"And I still don't." Glenn states.

"Well I do. I need all the juicy details of the dick dow-"

"Damnit Sasha! Can you at least wait until I leave?"

Sasha breaks out into another laugh at Glenn's discomfort while Michonne shakes her head. She picks up her bottled water and takes a quick drink.

"Stop hanging around Andrea, you're starting to sound like her."

"Oh, you know Andrea is a lot worse than I am. She would have you cringing and squirming with the shit she comes up with."

Both Glenn and Michonne mumble their agreement.

"Where is your unsavory friend?" Glenn asks.

It is Sasha who answers, "Getting dicked down by Shane."

Glenn releases a long groan before he drops his head in the palm of his hands, "I don't need a visual of that either, especially after last Saturday night."

"Stop with the dramatics Glenn, you use to have the biggest crush on Andrea," Sasha teases.

"Remember when you use to say you were going to marry her?" Michonne jests.

Glenn groans again, "I was fucking fourteen. I didn't know any better."

His cousin continues her teasing, "You use to stutter so bad when she came around and your face would turn this awful reddish color."

"Give me a break… I was fourteen. At least I didn't literally, not figuratively, but literally drool whenever Terry was around and how old were you…" Glenn trails off waiting for an answer but when Sasha only rolls her eyes he chuckles and continues, "Twenty-two. At least I can blame it on being a stupid teenager, you have no excuse."

"I was young too but at least I didn't use to snoop on Andrea!"

"At least I didn't pee on-"

"You promised never to speak on that!" Sasha says raising her voice and cutting Glenn off.

Michonne raises her eyebrow, intrigued by Glenn's snooping on Andrea and Sasha's pee story. She sits back amused by their bickering, since they are so close in age and grew up almost side by side, the two bicker like siblings. The two cousins glare at each other until Glenn sits back and raises his hand, "Truce?"

Sasha narrows her eyes before she scoffs and grumbles out, "Truce."

They glare at each other for a minute and almost simultaneously light flickers in their eyes, Michonne knows immediately what the mirror look mean. When they were younger, Sasha and Glenn along with Noah would turn the mischievous look onto Michonne and she knew trouble would soon follow.

"So Michonne…" Glenn starts.

"What were you daydreaming about?" Sasha finishes.

Her eyes dart between the two, her younger brother and cousin.

"Rick."

"I knew it!" Sasha yelps victoriously.

"Ugghh… gross spare me all of the details."

"Not like that," Michonne says, it's only a partial lie. She must admit she can't stop thinking about the wonderful and naughty things Rick did to her body Saturday night and then literally all day Sunday. She almost felt bad for the things they did on the holy day, almost.

Not only was Michonne thinking about their amazing day together but mostly about the car ride into the city. Michonne had dropped Andrea's car off at Shane's and Rick drove her back home into the city. He wanted to spend more time with her and Michonne was more than happy to be with him for a little while longer. It was during the car ride that Michonne asked what his weekend plans were, when he mentioned going to pick up his kids in Savannah from his mother's. He invited her to come along, he wanted her to meet his kids.

"He asked me to go with him to Savannah," Michonne says "to meet his kids."

Both Glenn and Sasha give her a droll stare as if collectively saying and? Until Sasha says the word.

"And?"

"Do you think it is too soon?" Michonne asks.

"Too soon was getting married in Vegas."

"Too soon was having dinner with the parental."

"Hell, this is right on time," Sasha scoffs.

"What if the kids don't like me?"

"You're a loveable person, I am sure they'll like you."

Michonne smiles at her kid brother, "Glenn you're too sweet, thank you."

"He has two kids, right?" Sasha asks.

"Yes, Carl turns fifteen this summer and Judith is four."

"The four-year-old will not know any better so you're golden there and Carl… even if he hates your guts just keep in mind three more years before he goes off to college so once again golden," Sasha observes.

Michonne chuckles but that knowledge doesn't bring her comfort.

"What if I'm not-"

"Mimi, you got this," Glenn says cutting her off, "It almost similar to when Judge and Mom got married. You've been through this as a kid, so you already know how they'll probably feel. Most people coming into a situation like this do not have that kind of firsthand experience."

"But Judge and Mom dated then got married; we got married and now I feel like we're dating."

"It is not ideal but you're smart, caring, and loving. Even if they at first do not like you, you'll make them fall in love with you. Just like you did with me."

Michonne giggles at Glenn, she recalls the rambunctious four-year-old, he did not like her and he never failed to let her know his dislike. Somehow along the way they grew to like each other truly becoming brother and sister and later best friends. Glenn reaches over and grabs a hold of Michonne's hand. He gives her a gentle and a warm smile. She gazes into his eyes and returns the squeeze and nod. She looks away briefly before looking back to Glenn and speaks another of her fears feeling comfortable in the presents of Glenn and Sasha to do so.

"Andre," Michonne breathes out.

Almost instantly Sasha is on her feet and around her desk, giving her an awkward but comforting hug while Glenn squeezes her hand tighter.

"A part of me feels like I'm replacing him with Rick's children as if I'm forgetting him."

"You'll never forget him, Michonne. He's a part of who you are and he will always be a part of this family," Glenn says gently.

"He'll be a part your family with Rick."

"I haven't told him. I was going to… the other night but… I couldn't."

"You'll tell him when the time is right," Sasha says in her ear.

A sob catches in her throat as she says, "I miss him."

"We all do," Sasha whispers.

"You can't let your fear or guilt of loving Rick's children stop you from moving forward. You're not honoring him and his memory by staying stagnant in the fear, pain, and guilt. You have to move forward carrying his light and memories with you and sharing that love with others."

Michonne wipes a stray tear and nods at her brother. Sasha gives her another hug before she releases Michonne. She perches herself on the edge of Michonne's desks and the three sit in silences for a moment.

Breaking the silence, Glenn says, "You'll have to tell him soon."

"I will," She replies with conviction.

"Did you ask him about G. and Cunningham?" Glenn asks.

Michonne replies with a nod. Glenn gives her hand another squeeze before he releases it.

"G. and Cunningham? Daryl mentioned he does special projects for the company."

"It's Rick's business. His Grimes is the G in G. and Cunningham," Michonne says.

"No shit!"

She goes on and tells her brother and cousin the synopsis of Rick's history with G. and Cunningham.

"Why didn't he tell Judge and mom at dinner?"

"He wants them to like him based on his merit and not his wealth or status."

Glenn shakes his head sitting back in his seat, "I get that but dinner would have been a lot better."

"Do you think it would have made much of a difference to Judge and Vivian?" Michonne asks. Thinking Glenn scratches his chin then releases a deep sigh.

"No, not really."

"Exactly, they may have been a little nicer but not by much," Michonne says knowing how well her parents operate.

"Aunt Viv would have been pissed that he didn't choose her company to broker that billion-dollar deal," Sasha comments.

Shaking his head at Sasha's comment, Glenn says, "Damn, I didn't even think about that."

"She would have probably hated him more, if that's even possible."

"It's possible," Michonne and Glenn quip in unison.

"Mom was asking about you last night at dinner."

An eyebrow rises as Michonne turns to glance at Glenn, "And?"

Glenn shrugs, "And nothing. You know how she is. She made a big fuss about your absence but dinner went on as usual."

"Back handed compliments and demands on how you can do better?" Michonne asks.

Another shrug, "Pretty much."

"When do you plan on telling them about Rick?" Sasha questions.

It is Michonne's turn to give a haphazard shrug, "They already do not like him and think I'm a complete fuck up-"

"No, they don't!" Glenn interrupts.

She tosses him a cold stare before she continues, a slow smile crossing her lips at the immense peace she feels regarding her decision, "I do not care what they think. Right now, I just want to focus on being with Rick and truly getting to know him. I want this to work."

"See Glenn, there goes that 'I-got-dicked-down-hella-good' smile!"

"Damnit Sasha!"

Sasha breaks out into a laugh and Michonne chuckles along with her.

"Here I was being a good brother and cousin bringing you ladies lunch and what do I get in returned? Picked on!"

"Oh hush, Glennie!"

"Please not with the nickname."

"Oh poor Glennie-whemmy, doesn't like his nickname?" Sasha teases.

Glenn smirks at his cousin and replies calmly, "Stinky-Sash."

Michonne watches in amusement as Sasha eyes narrow on Glenn.

"You know I saw that crush of yours today at my meeting at G. and Cunningham. What is his name? Davis? Daniel? Daryl? I bet he will really appreciate hearing the story of Stinky-Sash."

Sasha sneers, "You wouldn't!"

"Try me."

"Children, please!" Michonne interrupts knowing this back and forth could possibly go on for hours.

"Truce?" Sasha offers.

Glenn smirks wider, "You really like this guy huh?"

"Glenn truce?" Sasha repeats firmly.

"Fine. Truce."

Michonne rolls her eyes at the antics of her brother and cousin, as they shake hands and acknowledge their fragile truce once again.

"So how was your meeting?" Michonne asks after a few seconds.

"Great! You should have seen Abraham's face when I walked in the room. It was priceless. He didn't know I worked for Hilltop," Glenn says with a light chuckle, "Anyways, they loved our presentation. Especially Mrs. Grimes."

"Rick's mom?"

"Yes, she's the president. His brother Jeff was there too, he's the VP."

"They were there?" Sasha asks.

"Not physically, they both video conferenced in for the presentation."

"No Rick?" Michonne asks already knowing the answer.

Glenn shakes his head before he continues, "Abraham says he only comes in when a major vote needs to be done but Morgan Jones pretty much runs the company."

"When will you know for sure you won the bid?"

"Hopefully by tomorrow, no later than Wednesday.

"That's exciting! I bet you rocked that presentation and they'll be crazy not to go with the brightest architect mind. I am proud of you," Michonne beams.

A soft pink touches Glenn's cheek as he nods and rubs the back of his neck, "Thanks Michonne. It means a lot to me having your support."

"Unless you're out there killing babies and puppies you'll always have my support and love," Michonne leans across her desk and extends her hand to Glenn. He reaches out and grabs her hand giving it a gentle squeeze.

"So, if Daryl works or is involved with any G. and Cunningham project, he's probably sitting on a pretty penny as well?" Sasha asks after a quiet moment.

"Yes, most likely."

"Good," Sasha says nodding, "Just the way I like them with a thick wallet and a thick dick!"

"Damnit Sasha!"

XxXx00000xXxX

He answers with a breathless hello on the fourth ring.

"You sound like you've been running," Michonne says settling onto her sofa. It was almost eight thirty and the summer sun hung low against the sky. She looks out the window to the city below and wishes that Rick was beside her.

"I kind of was. I was worked up. Needing to expel some of this extra energy," His southern drawl is low and deep and tickles her ears.

"Oh yea?"

"Yea, since I can't indulge in some of my favorite activity with one of my favorite people I decided to go for a little run."

"One of your favorite people?"

"Yea, she's easily in my top three."

"Top three? She must be special."

"Yea… she is. She has these salaciously molten-"

"Salaciously molten?"

"Yeah, these salaciously molten brown eyes that cause me to melt from the inside out."

"Sounds dangerous," Michonne giggles.

"It is but it is worth staring into them. She has the most enticing and intoxicating skin, it's supple, soft, and smooth as silk. I just want to touch, lick, and kiss every part of her skin," He breathes out heavily.

Michonne moans into the phone, "Lick and kiss? Your tongue might get tired."

"I doubt it, plus I'll alternate."

"Alternate?"

"Yeah, lips, tongue, and fingers."

"Sounds promising," Michonne whispers. She presses her thighs together to relieve the slowly building ache Rick is causing.

"Oh and her smile," he gushes, "She also has this smile that even the sun envies, especially the way it lights up the entire room. And her laughter is one of the sweetest melodies I've ever heard and her voice… her voice, especially the way she calls out my name when we're participating in activities."

"Activities?"

"Yeah, activities."

"So, you have more than one that you like to do with this… special person?"

"Oh yea."

"Tell me… tell me about the activities," Michonne breathes.

"You remember the lips, tongue, and fingers… alternating?"

"Yea?" It comes out a long moan.

"Those are all involved in some of my favorite activities."

"What else is involved in some of your favorite activities?"

"Watching her… watching you tremble in pleasure. Hearing you scream out my name."

"Rick." Another long moan.

"Michonne?"

"Yea?"

"Tell me you want me to come over. Tell me you want me there with you."

"It's an hour and half drive."

"Michonne, tell me."

She's quiet for a moment, "I want you here. I want you here with me."

"Ok."

The line goes dead. Michonne moves the phone from her ear and stares at it in surprise that Rick hung up on her. Before she can debate about calling him, her doorbell rings. She's startled by the noise but immediately her heart beat speeds in anticipation. She leaps off her couch and practically runs to her front door. She tries to compose herself before she swings open the door and when she does her heart triples its effort and her knees buckle. Rick fills her door way dressed in all black and looking dashing with his blue eyes ablaze with lust and love.

"About those active-" Rick doesn't finish as Michonne crushes her lips against his. She grabs him by the collar of his shirt and drags him into her condo. Rick shuts the door behind and fumbles with the lock before turning his full attention on Michonne.

"I miss you," Michonne breathes against lips.

Rick takes her lips again, he quickly deepens the kiss as he places his hands on her waist and easily lifts her up. Michonne's legs automatically wrap around his waist as her arms go around his neck. He sweeps his tongue against hers before he breathes into her:

"I miss you too."

XxXx00000xXxX

Satiated. Rick is worn out, every muscle in his body relaxes to a state of euphoria as he settles next to Michonne's naked, warm, and sweaty body. She purrs besides him as she moves deeper into the crook of his arm and rests her head upon his chest.

All day Michonne has been on his mind. When he finished from his shift, he did go home but he couldn't stay still. The house was too big and too quiet especially after having Michonne in his home for the better part of the weekend. His missed her.

It was when he stood at his bedroom doorway staring at the king-size bed that he acted on impulse. Rick packed a quick overnight bag with his uniform, hopped into his truck, and drove out to the city to be with his wife. He didn't want to spend a night without her in his arms.

Rick had just found a parking spot and darted across the street when Michonne called him. Now after two glorious rounds of love making, sleep was pulling Rick under its undertow. His eyes were closed and his breathing evened out. He could feel the heavy weight of sleep tugging at him when he heard Michonne call out his name.

"Rick?"

"Hmmm?"

"Rick?"

"Yes, wife?"

"I'll go with you."

Rick processes her words and peels his eyes open, he angles his head and looks down at her. She peers up at him, a soft light dancing in her eyes.

"Yea?"

"I want to go with you to Savannah, to pick up the kids. I want to meet the kids."

"Yeah, okay," Rick says a wide smile crossing his lips. When he mentioned his trip earlier, Michonne was hesitant but to hear her say she wants to meet his children, his heart swells with love and anticipation for the complete union of his family.

"Friday. We'll drive up Friday."

"Okay. Friday," Michonne says cuddling into Rick again.

* * *

 **A/N: A slightly fluffy fun chapter! Next Chapter - The Children! Oh... and Rick's mother... dun-dun-dun (that supposed to be my suspenseful sound effects by the way).**

 **Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for reading, following, commenting, favoriting, and PMing! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I appreciate every single one of you taking the time to read this story.**

 **Until the next chapter!**

 **-fi-**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Hello Lovelies! Are you all still with me? I hope so! I am sorry about such the long wait! I'll try to do betta!**

* * *

 **Chapter 17**

They're both morning people. Earlier risers. Even with the late-night love making they indulge in, Michonne felt the remnants of sleep leave her as Rick pressed his body against hers. He places soft kisses on her neck, then her shoulder before pulling her closer to him. Against the curve of her ass, Michonne can feel his morning glory. She smiles lazily at the thought of another round of love making before they start with their day.

She pulls her eyes open and chances a glance at the digital clock, the time reads 6:14am. It is the big day. Friday. The day she'll meet Rick's son and daughter, Carl and Judith. Apprehension and excitement wrestles within her belly at the thought. Rick wants to be at his mother's house no later than noon, meaning they had to leave Kings County by nine, no later than 9:30.

Rick places another kiss on her shoulder while Michonne calculates how long it will take to ride him until they both succumb to white hot bliss, take an hour power nap, before showering and leaving for the road. She glances at the clock again, it is 6:16am; she surmises they have plenty of time.

Michonne rolls over to her side until she's face to face with Rick.

"Mornin' wife."

A wide smile pulls at her lips at Rick's pet name for her. She expects him to her call 'sweetie', 'baby', or 'honey' but somehow his term of endearment and title seems fitting.

"Good morning, husband."

"I love waking up next to you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Rick whispers before leaning in and placing a soft kiss against Michonne's lips.

"I like-"

"Like?"

"Love waking up next to you too."

"Yeah?" Rick asks.

"Yeah," Michonne whispers into a smile as she leans in and kisses Rick's lips. She moves back, crinkles her nose, and says, "Morning breath and all."

"Hey, it ain't that bad!" Rick claims moving to smell his own breath, he grimaced at the smell which caused Michonne to giggle. She leans into him again and presses another soft kiss to his lips. Slowly the kiss deepens and Rick's tongue asks for entry into hers. Moaning against her lips, Rick moves Michonne onto her back but she resists and pushes against him.

"What?" He asks with a confused expression thinking he misread Michonne's cues. She pushes against Rick's chest until he falls upon his back a lopsided grin spreading across his lips as Michonne straddles his waist.

She lowers her lips to his and kisses him deeply while Rick's hands settle onto her waist pulling Michonne closer to him. Michonne pulls away from his lips and starts raining soft kisses upon his face starting with his forehead, then his eyelids, his nose, cheek, and chin. The shower of kisses doesn't stop at his face, she continues kissing and nibbling on his neck before moving to his shoulder, collar bone, and chest.

Her lips move to his right nipple licking him slowly enticing a long moan from his own mouth. After licking his right nipple, she places another kiss before moving to his left and repeating the process then lowering to his abdomen. Snaking down his body Michonne feels the hardening of his manhood; the feel of him hard for her grows her own desires for him. She releases a moan of her own when she comes face to face with his strength. Michonne ignores the engorged member and places soft kisses on each of Rick's hip bone then his upper thighs causing Rick to groan and call out her name.

After a few more teasing kissing, she final takes hold of his hardness and gently strokes him before taking him into her mouth. He tastes slightly salty and tangy but her mouth still waters at the taste of him. She hollows out her cheeks and uses her tongues to stroke the underside of his dick and pleasures him with her mouth. Michonne relaxes her jaw and throat to take as much of Rick in her mouth as possible. She settles on her knees and uses one hand to stroke his shaft and the other to play with his balls, rolling and gently messaging them in her hand. She loves on him slowly and deeply.

"Michonne, stop… I'm going to cum."

She releases him with a soft pop but she doesn't stop worshiping him. She licks the underside of his shaft from his scrotum to the tip. She places soft kisses upon his head before nibbling on the sensitive flesh.

"Uhhh… Damn… mmm," Rick groans and flinches as she bites him gently moaning even louder.

She licks and kisses the spot she bit before moving on repeating the steps while moving up his length. Swiveling her tongue around the tip of his dick before taking the head in her mouth and sucking feverishly all the while stroking his penis.

"Fuck. Shit… Michonne."

She moans and the vibration moves up his body causing him to thrust his hips against her face. Both hand grip the bed sheet as his hips wildly thrust against her mouth. Michonne opens her mouth wider and drops further onto him, taking Rick deep into her mouth again. Determined she relaxes and takes more of Rick into her mouth and throat until she feels her nose press against his groomed pubic hair. She hums and bobs up and down on his swollen member, massaging him with her hollow cheeks, tongue and throat muscles.

"FUCKKK!"

Rick threads his hand into Michonne's hair and thrusts into her mouth. Her jaw starts to ache as well as the muscle in her cheek but she continues her loving on him.

"Please… fuck… wife… I'm going to…"

Michonne renews her vigor and sucks on him harder, massaging his heavy balls. He thrusts and Michonne feels him expand and swell in her mouth seconds before she feels spurts and spurts of his essence hit the back of her throat but she never stops her administration of loving every part of him as she swallows his release. Once he's spent, Rick softens to half-mast but still fills Michonne's mouth. She continues her stroking and worshiping her husband's manhood with her mouth until he's hard and at the ready again.

She expects his recovery to take longer but within minutes his length stands firm and steady. She gives him one final lick before she starts to crawl up his body; she continues to slowly stroke his hardened length while placing kisses on his abdomen. Michonne licks each nipple which causes another tremble to pass through Rick.

A wide smile splits her lips when she locks eyes with his lust laden baby blues, Rick pulls her down and captures her lips. He presses his tongue into her mouth, their mouths and tongues unite with an unhurried need but desperate urgency. Michonne breaks the kiss and settles herself over his manhood. Using the tip of his dick she rubs it against her wet opening coating him in her juices before stimulating herself even further with the head of his dick against her swollen clit.

Michonne trembles at the sensation, she gazes down to see Rick watching her mesmerized. She aligns herself with him and slowly takes him into her body. He stretches her as she allows him to fill her; Michonne's head lolls back then drops forward at the overwhelming feeling. Rick's eyes are glazed over with desire and his mouth partially open as he completely embeds inside of her. She places a hand on his chest, one on his thigh and throws her head back moaning loudly enjoying the sensation of being completely filled. Never has a man touched her to the depth Rick has, it feels as if he was crafted especially for her. Michonne flexes her inner walls and swivels her hips around his member causing Rick to groan.

She slowly raises off him until only the tip of his manhood remains then just as slowly descends onto him. Rick grunts and groans as Michonne repeats her wicked dance upon him; beginning their journey to a new stratosphere of ecstasy. A loud moan falls from her lips as Rick's hands cover her breast, he squeezes the dark mounds before gently pinching a nipple. One hand slides down her body and rests on her waist as the other alternates heightening her pleasure by toying with her sensitive breasts.

"Yessss Rick! Yessss!" Michonne hisses. She bends over him placing her hands on either side of his head, her sensitive nipples brushing against his hard chest as she rapidly rises and sinks her hips onto him.

Wetness pools around his nature as the pace of her movements increase, Rick falls in rhythm with her as he thrusts his hip to eagerly meet hers. Michonne is lost in the sheer bliss of the slowly building release; waves of pleasure start in her belly tumbling south to her core then slithering to her toes causing them to curl before leaping from her limbs into her chest causing her breathing to hitch and loud moans to fall from her lips.

Michonne dives downward while Rick thrusts up hitting a potent spot causing Michonne to flex and tighten her grip on him; she yelps out and he moans producing a sensual melody while their skin wetly slaps and comes together. His hands fall from her hips, he grips her tightly as he plows up from beneath her.

"MICHONNE!"

"RICK!"

"Fuck… baby… I'm going to come!"

"Yea! Me… too!"

Ripples of pleasure start to bloom at Michonne's core, her body trembles at the overwhelming sensation her body is experiencing. Michonne's pace doubles, she rides him harder and faster. She chases her climax with a vengeful need. Raising her hips off him, she rotates grinding back down, rocking back and forth before she quickly repeats her covetousness process. Rick matches the pace she sets, both hands move to her ass, squeezing it while he helps guide and press her deeper onto him.

"Mich-mmm." Her name melds into a moan as she rotates, rocks, and grinds her hips tightening her slick inner walls around his manhood. She feels him swell nearing his release, stretching her further. Michonne loves feeling every inch of Rick deep inside her, there's a wholeness and a sense of completeness to their coupling. Even though she's close to her orgasm Michonne wants to prolong the moment of release but that thought ends as soon as a hand slides to the apex of her thighs and lightly caress her engorged clit.

"HUSBAND!" Michonne cries out as ripples explode into a glorious combination of throbbing pleasure and sheer ecstasy. She stiffens as her inner muscles violently squeeze Rick's manhood; he thrusts several more times gripping her ass and pressing her down onto him as he deeply embeds himself into her and finds his own release.

A power spurt of his release hits a potent spot causing a chain reaction deep within Michonne, another orgasm steals her breath as she feels his essence coating her inner cove. Unable to speak she grasps for air as she starts trembling uncontrollably; her legs quiver fiercely while Rick grinds out his release into her. Michonne is suspended in euphoric splendor for a full moment before exhaling and collapsing onto Rick.

"Shit," She starts off after several minutes in silence, "Next time you have to warn me."

"For what?"

"Before you cum like that… it was intense."

His chest rumbles and shakes with a deep laugh under her cheek; her head resting on the center of his chest. His breathing has evened out and his heart has fallen into its normal beating pattern. Michonne finds the sound of his heartbeat mesmerizing and lulling. Michonne's limp limbs refuse to listen to her mind and move off Rick; he doesn't seem to mind, he cradles her against his chest with one arm as the other hand gently caresses her back. Rick's manhood has softened but he remains securely rooted within Michonne; both husband and wife are content to remain connected as one as sleep pulls them under.

XxXx00000xXxX

A deep scowl graces her face as she chews on her bottom lip in anticipation. Michonne fidgets in her seat as she watches the landscape change from the sporadic homes of the farmlands to more of the densely-populated homes of the city. Rick takes I-75 South out of Kings County to Macon where he takes I-16 South towards Savannah; the couple fill the three-plus hour drive talking, laughing, singing along to the satellite radio and enjoying each other's company. Michonne is surprised to discover Rick is actually a good singer, she sings along with him as the miles and miles of Georgia farmland pass them by. She feeds him snacks they stocked up on before they left as Rick gives her random history facts of eastern Georgia. As they near the city, Michonne growls quiet and starts to fidgets, allowing her nerves to seize her. Rick keeps on I-16 South before he exits onto US-80, Michonne watches as the city grows before her eyes as Rick navigates US-80.

"I've never been to Savannah," She admits.

"Really?"

She nods watching landscape before her, "There was an overnight field trip when I was in ninth grade but I had other obligations. I always wanted to come and visit."

Michonne is slightly startled when Rick reaches over and takes her hand. She smiles at him as he does the same.

He squeezes her hand and says, "You're here now."

They allow the silence to take over as they drive through the residential side of the city down US-80. Savannah reminds her of Atlanta with the houses and businesses spread long side of the busy street; the familiarity helps calm some of her nerves. Michonne glances at the dash, it is a little after noon. The drive down is quick and easy but now Michonne wishes to hit all the traffic lights to postpone the meeting. She tries to get her nerves in order but she knows how important it is meeting Carl and Judith. She prays internally that all the traffic lights turn red to prolong the meeting. Her thoughts shift from Rick's children to his mother.

 _Oh God!_ She thinks to herself, _what if she's like my parents?_

"I've been so worried about your kids liking me I forgot your mom. What if she hates me?" Michonne asks her eyes on the houses and buildings of eastern Georgia.

Rick tugs on her hand to pull her attention to him, a wide smile gracing his lips, "She's going to love you."

"How can you be sure? What if it is like when you meet my parents or worse?"

He chuckles at her nerves, "Nothing is worse than meeting your parents."

She rolls her eyes but he's probably right, "Fine but what if she doesn't like me?"

"She'll love you. My mom is good at reading people."

Michonne nods once before returning her eyes to the window. Rick drives them out of Savannah continuing east, once they are out of the city the houses are less densely populated and more spread apart. The houses at the edge of Savannah completely disappear into the horizon as they continue US-80, the southern channel of the Savannah River lays to their left and fields of grassy land occupy their right.

"Where are we?"

"Tybee Island."

"How long has your mother lived out here?"

"Four years," Rick says. One hand grips the steering wheel while the other holds her hand, "My parents discovered this place during their honeymoon. They visited it several times while they were married. My mother always wanted to retire here and after my father passed, she finally moved out here."

"It is beautiful."

"Yeah it is. Every so often, my parents would bring my brother and me down here for the summer. We would spend most of the weekend on the beach before driving back home."

"The kids come here every summer?"

"Since my mother moved here, yes. Summer and a week during Christmas break."

As they draw closer to the populated areas of the island, Michonne slowly sees the beauty that Rick's mother saw about the island. Tybee Island is small and quaint. Some of the houses are large and imposing like the Buckhead area of Atlanta but there is a relaxed quiet charm to the large houses that do not look ostentatious but welcoming and homely.

Rick holds her hand the remainder of the drive, once US-80 turns into Butler Street, Rick slows his truck; the street is short a few blocks deep before it ends. Before he reaches the end of the road, Rick turns left onto 19th street and Michonne inhales deeply as she takes in the scene of the Atlantic Ocean before her, the water glistens blue reflecting the warm rays of the sun. Rick drives to the end of the street where he pulls into a private driveway of a massive three story beach house.

"This is your mother's house?"

Rick chuckles releasing her hand and putting the car into park before pushing the stop button on the truck. Michonne gawks at the house, it is a three-story house with three garage doors on the first level, the second and third floor each have a large screen porch that runs the length of the side of the house. There is a spacious open back deck with stairs that hug the rear of the house and leads down to the driveway. Michonne realizes she's lost in thought when Rick appears at her side of the truck and pulls open the door. He reaches for her hand and helps her down.

"This house is one of her few splurges."

"It is beautiful," Michonne states with awe as Rick shuts the truck door behind her, "Do you come here often?"

"When I drop, and pick up the kids during the summer and New Year's. It is beautiful here during New Year's Eve with all the Christmas lights still up, one of the neighbors puts on a big firework display. You will-"

"DADDY!"

Rick's words are cut short when he is called. They both look up to see a blonde hair wide blue eyed toddler running full speed down the stairs of the back deck towards him. A large smile splits his lips as the little girl launches herself into Rick's arm as he takes several steps toward her with stretched out arms. Rick catches his daughter's leap and pulls her against his chest before holding her out arm's length and spinning her in several circles before he pulls her into another embrace and showers her face with kisses.

Michonne stands back and smiles at the scene before her, Judith, is adorable with curly blonde curls and blue eyes matching her fathers. She is a fit of giggles as Rick kisses and tickles her. She squeals and wiggles in his arms fighting her father's affection with glee. As she takes in the beautiful sight a pang stabs her in the chest at the thought of Andre. She misses him dearly and would do anything to have him in her arms again.

"Carl!"

At the sounds of Rick's son's name Michonne refocuses her attention on the family reunion. The young teen gives a lopsided smile as he reaches his father and sister. Rick pulls Carl and gives him a tight embrace before the teenager pulls away embarrassed by the display of affection. Judith wiggles out of Rick's arms, he places her on the ground and glances over his shoulder at Michonne. He reaches his hand out to her, locking onto his cerulean spheres, she steps closer to the family and takes Rick's hand. He smiles widely as he pulls Michonne closer to him.

Michonne takes her eyes off Rick and looks at his kids taking in their expressions. Judith looks confused and intrigued at her presence. It is the look on Carl's face that causes her stomach to drop. His eyes narrow into a distrusting squint, his mouth downturns into a hard frown, and his forehead folds into a scowl. There is no doubt he is not happy with her presence, before Rick can introduce her, Carl clarifies any doubts Michonne may have concerning his dislike.

"Who the hell is she?" He growls out.

"Hell, is she?" Judith repeats.

XxXx00000xXxX

Surprise. Hurt. Embarrassment. Disappointment. These are the few words that come to mind at Carl's reaction to Michonne. He was expecting some resistant but the look on Carl's face is more severe. Rick's dream of having his family happily reunited is deflated by his son's reaction. Rick quickly reprimands Carl's behavior and blatant disrespect, if it isn't for Michonne squeezing his arm, Rick's reprimand would have been harsher. He even chides Judith for repeating after her brother, even though the four-year-old's intent wasn't the same as his eldest child.

Judith's eyes tear-up as she quickly states she's sorry. Carl mumbles a half-ass apology with a scowl etched upon his face that almost gets Rick riled up again but once again Michonne gives him a squeeze. When he glances at her, he sees a small smile on her face as she shakes her head. He gives her a curt nod acknowledging her silent request.

"RICK?" a voice calls out from inside the house that pulls his attention from Michonne.

"We're not finished discussing this," Rick says to his son. Carl's eyes remain on the ground, avoiding looking up at his father, Rick already knows the defiance that is set in the young boy's eyes. He's thankful Carl is smart enough to glare at the ground and not him or worse, Michonne because if he did, Rick was sure no amount of Michonne's squeezing would stop him from snatching up his son. He holds out his arm for Judith who eagerly climbs up his arms, he takes Michonne's hand with his free one and starts inside the house. Carl follows behind at a distance, still simmering with his own anger.

Rick navigates up the stairs towards the back deck of his mother's house as Judith chats softly in his arms while stealing glances at Michonne. He realizes that he hasn't properly introduced his daughter to Michonne.

"Judith sweetie, this is my very special friend, Michonne," He says pausing once he and Michonne reach the middle of the back deck that leads to the kitchen. Judith leans over and silently regards Michonne, she takes her in slowly before she looks back at her father.

"Hi Judith," Michonne says softly with a quick wave.

"Myshawn?" Judith repeats.

"Michonne," Rick corrects her.

"Mee-chonne," She repeats slowly.

Rick nods encouragingly at her.

"Is she your special friend like Artie is to Me-maw?"

Rick tries not to flinch at the comparison of Michonne to his mother's boyfriend.

"Yes, something like that but Michonne is more special," Rick states glancing at Michonne who watches the interaction between father and daughter silently.

Judith nods, she shyly glances at Michonne and then her father. She lowers her voice but fails at whispering in Rick's ears.

"She's pretty. She looks like Storm but her hair is the wrong color."

Rick chuckles and looks to Michonne who heard the girl as well, a wide smile lighting up her face.

Rick lowers his voices but says loudly enough for Michonne to hear, "Yea, Daddy thinks she's pretty too."

A groan from behind him brings his attention to Carl who he catches mid eye-roll. Carl promptly returns his eyes to the ground as Rick introduces Michonne to Carl.

"That one is Carl. If he's not careful Judith is going to become my only child."

She chuckles and turns to the disgruntle young man, "Hi Carl, I'm Michonne."

His blue eyes flicker up to Michonne briefly before they touch the floor again, he grumbles a greeting.

"RICKY!"

All eyes turn towards the sound of Rick's name. A tall statuesque woman stands in the entryway of the house.

"Ma," Rick says.

Swiftly his mother moves from the doorway to stand in front of him, how quickly she moves always catches him by surprise even when he was a child but especially now. He only has a moment before he's swept into her arms, Rick hugs her tightly, smothering Judith between them, the little girl laughs pleasantly from the affection of her grandmother and father. His mother pulls away from the hug and catches his face in her hands, she exams his face before she showers him with kisses as if he's a child. Rick allows several kisses before he pulls away embarrassed at his mother's attention. He glances at Michonne who stands slightly off to the side, she stifles silent giggles as she watches them. His mother catches him staring off, her attention shifts from her son to the woman who stands by. Before Rick has a chance to introduce Michonne, his mother has already moved from him to capture a surprised Michonne in her arms.

"You must be Michonne!"

Rick beams as he watches his mother hug Michonne tightly, she releases her before she repeats the same process with Michonne grabbing her head in between her hands. She exams his wife before she glances over her shoulder at him.

"She's beautiful! Oh and her eyes, so soulful! I can see why my son is so smitten!" His mother claims, she places a kiss on Michonne's cheek before hugging her again.

"Ma-"

Michonne's giggle cuts Rick off before she says, "Thank you, Mrs. Grimes."

"Oh honey, call me Helen!" She says releasing Michonne from the tight embrace but keeping a hold of her arms. Her eyes narrow and Rick follows her line of sight onto Carl who still scowls and glares at the ground, "What's wrong with him?"

Rick doesn't say anything, inside he shifts his eyes to Michonne then back to Carl. Helen rolls her eyes and shakes her head.

"Mom-"

She flicks her wrist at Rick to silence him before she turns her attention to Carl, "Young man, go upstairs and fix your face."

Carl looks up at his grandmother through his long eyelashes; he nods at her command, he slinks pass them making his way inside the house to follow her order.

"I want you back down here in ten minutes. We're just waiting on Artie to have lunch!"

Carl nods before disappearing inside the house, Judith wiggles out of Rick's arm and he gently puts her down. She rushes to her grandmother's side and tugs on her skirt.

"Can I help Carl fix his face Me-maw?"

"Yes honey, go help your brother he's going to need it," Helen says. The adults watch Judith scurry off after Carl. Once she's out of sight, Helen turns to Rick, "I told you to tell him."

"I did!"

"You told him you were bringing her here?"

He falters for a moment, "I wanted it to be a surprise. I didn't think he'll act this way."

"Oh hush, that boy is just like you! Of course, this was going to be his reaction! You should have known better," Helen chides her son.

"I'm sorry maybe I shouldn't have come."

"Oh sweetie, it is not your fault. It's that knuckleheaded boy of mine, he should have told his son he was bringing you here," Helen declares guiding Michonne inside the house from the deck, "I use to put the switch to his behind so often because of his _brilliant ideas_ that my wrist hurt."

Michonne laughs as his mother guides them from the entryway to the center of the kitchen where she parks Michonne on a stool at the marbled kitchen island.

"I'm surprised he told you about my arrival today."

"Sweetie, I heard about you the day after y'all met! Rick called to check up on the kids and he was gushing over you, talking about 'Ma, I met the woman I'm gonna marry'," Helen chuckles as she turns away from Michonne. She and Rick exchange a knowing glance, he shakes his head answering her silent question that his mother didn't know they were already married. Michonne nods and turns her attention back to his mother as Helen faces her again continuing her story, "Now I was scared he was talking about one of them Vegas showgirls but he assured me you weren't. He said you are a lawyer here in Georgia. I heard all about how beautiful, smart, sweet, and lovely you were. I've never heard my Ricky talk about a woman like he talked about you. I was over joyed when he said that he was bringing you down with him. I just wished he told his son."

"I told Carl I was seeing someone."

"But did you tell him you were bringing her here?"

"No ma'am."

"Hmmph... that's what I thought!"

"I'll talk to Carl."

"You better because you ain't too old for me to take a switch to your behind," Helen jokes with a slight undertone of seriousness.

Rick groans as Michonne giggles again, Helen swiftly moves around the kitchen finishing preparing lunch, Michonne moves to stand and asks if she needs help.

"Yes sweetie, take the chicken out the oven."

"Mom, Michonne is a guest, let m-"

Helen swats Rick away and frowns at him, "Guest? This is the first woman you bring to meet your mother and kids and you callin' her a guest? I know you know better than that, she ain't no _guest_! She's home and I am going to treat her as such; so, leave her be."

His heart swells with joy at his mother acceptance of Michonne so quickly. He smiles, "Yes ma'am."

"You hear that Michonne you are not a guest passing on through; you're more than that, you're home."

* * *

 **A/N – I wanted a stark difference in the reception of Michonne's parents to Rick's mom to their relationship. Another reason for Helen Grimes quick acceptance of Michonne has to do with her own relationship with Rick's father. Remember when Rick tells Michonne about how Helen's parents disowned her for falling in love with Rick's father? Helen doesn't want to repeat her father's past mistake but more so, she trusts her son and knows he wouldn't bring a woman around that he's not serious about.**

 **Carl's reception is cold but we'll find out sooner rather than later why he reacted like this. Poor kid, I feel bad for him in this story. I just want to hug him.**

 **Once again sorry about the extended wait. To be honest, this has been ready for a while (months) but I kind of forgot about it. I am so sorry about that. I'll try not to go so long in between updates but life gets in the way. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter!**

 **Thank you so much for reading, commenting, following, and favoriting! Thank you for sticking with me. I appreciate you all!**

 **-fi-**


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